


I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me

by thevelvetelvis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bottom Harry Potter, Don't Expect Him to be Suddenly Nice Cause of Harry, Emotionally Constipated Stefan, F/M, Gay Male Character, Klaus is Gonna be a Dick, Klaus is a flirt, M/M, Minor Character Death, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Multi, Sassy Harry Potter, Timeline What Timeline, Vampire Jenna Sommers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:40:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 112,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21655402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thevelvetelvis/pseuds/thevelvetelvis
Summary: Harry was never the type to discriminate against his lovers on the basis of supernatural species, it was the 21st Century for Godric's sake! But, unfortunately for Harry, this free way of thinking comes back to bite him in the arse as an impromptu trip to New York with one of his beaus leads to him getting kidnapped by two witches. Carted across the east coast, Harry is dumped on the doorstep, and forced to do the bidding, of one very infamous Hybrid.  Harry had always made it a point to never get involved in anyone else's world-ending affairs, but the town of Mystic Falls and its many characters seem hell-bent on keeping him there. And the longer he stays, the more his own demons come to play. Hopefully, when all is said and done, he'll have something left of himself.
Relationships: Bonnie Bennett/Jeremy Gilbert, Caroline Forbes/Tyler Lockwood, Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore, Harry Potter/Klaus Mikaelson/Stefan Salvatore, Harry Potter/Stefan Salvatore, Klaus Mikaelson/Harry Potter, Past Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore - Relationship
Comments: 191
Kudos: 710





	1. This Is The Last Time I Screw A Vampire

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, what's up, guys. Haven't seen me in a while, huh? *hides under a rock* 
> 
> First off, I apologize for my long absence, especially since I had Damned ((rest assured that it is starting back up, I was waiting to see where the MCU would go (+ general school stress) and it just so happened that Kevin beat me to the Eternals, which I was planning on connecting to things, so I have to retool my story to work better with the current state of things, so please look forward to that)) still going.
> 
> And now I'm starting a brand new story?! Well, don't worry, they'll both be updated as much as I can! So please enjoy this new work, and please don't be scared of the pairing, I promise this isn't gonna be another "Harry escapes the war to MF and falls in love with *insert male vamp*" (not that those are bad stories, I have read several of them, but it's a common trope haha)
> 
> Also, I'm gonna be posting another few stories this month, so look forward to those! Anyway, enough updating and rambling, enjoy the story!

"New York? What the hell are we going to go do in America that we can't do here?" Harry asked his bedmate, both naked as the day they were born.

"Trust me, love. Once we get there, I can show you pleasures you've never even dreamed of," Sanguini whispered into Harry's ear, kissing his neck in the process.

"And why can't you show me these pleasures in this bed?" Harry asked, setting himself on the vampires’ strong lap.

"There's something… someone you must meet," Sanguini said erotically.

"If you wanted a threesome, I could've just gotten a hold of that werewolf Romulus from the pack in London. I'm sure he could ignore the whole," pointing to his own teeth, "vampire thing."

Chuckling, Sanguini used his vampire speed to scoop up Harry and push him against the wall, his legs wrapped around his waist. "Trust me, love. This man is more than just a normal bed partner."

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

"This is the last bloody time I sleep with a fucking vampire," Harry grumbled to the pair driving the van he was being transported in.

"Werewolves? They're fantastic in bed and are very nice to cuddle with. Wizards? Clingy and annoying, but very kinky. You lot, the American wiccans-witches-warlocks-whatever the hell you call yourselves? Second worst of the bunch. The one guy was so pretty but he wouldn't just shut his arse up about how my kind abuse nature and-"

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up!" The witch yelled, tightening the strength of the binding spell on his chains, making it much more uncomfortable than it already was.

"Can you at least explain to me why the two of you showed up after Sanguini left me high and dry in New York?" Harry snarked back, making sure to distract them from the magic he was pouring into breaking the lock that bound him.

The woman of the pair looked at her companion with a very unflattering sneer, silently communicating whatever it was that these types of lackeys did. Harry wasn't under the illusion that they were independent; far more menacing and deadly have tried the boy with too many damn names.

"Your services are needed. For whatever reason, our master thinks he needs your powers to help him…" She said, her sarcasm evident in what he could only explain as an audible eye roll.

"So, your… master couldn't hire some sell-wand here in America?" Harry asked.

It seemed as their short conversation was the limit of their exchange, as the two continued to ignore his incessant questioning. Once Harry got the gist, he ceased his mouthing off, instead, focusing on trying to escape.

That is until a wave of dizziness hit him, and the last thing he saw was the smirking faces of his captors.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

_"Phesmatos Ensomnos"… the lighting of a flame… the opening of a box… "Elena"…_

Harry tried his best to open his eyes and get up, but the fatigue and exhaustion his body was plagued with did very little to assist. His breathing was uneven, and his senses were on fire. The only thing he could make out with clarity was the magic in the air; whoever was casting had to have been doing something killer for them to generate that much energy.

"Ah, I see our guest of honor has decided to join us in the waking world!" An accented voice flitted through the air.

Harry supported himself the best he could to try and sit up, but it took the assistance of a foreign arm to lift him all the way. And unfortunately for him, that arm was an ounce too strong and left him disoriented sitting up.

When he came to, he could make out in the room, two women and two other men. The two he recognized as his kidnappers were hanging in the back, while the other woman was off to the side, looking with withheld fascination.

"And here I am not even dressed accordingly," Harry said, trying to mask his unsureness of the situation with his beloved brand of British sarcasm. "And here you are not even introducing yourselves…"

"Who the hell do you think you are talking to-" the woman ranted, shutting her mouth at the flick of the man’s hand.

Kneeling to eye level, the admittedly attractive man smirked before speaking, "my name is Klaus Mikaelson. That lovely lady to your right is Katerina Petrova, and the two in the back are my loyal assistants Greta and Maddox."

"I figured they were lackeys, not even enough juice to bind me up and knock me out on their own. Had to channel a damn vampire and yet they still couldn't do it comp-"

"Silence!" Greta yelled, holding up her palm in what he assumed was casting a spell. Though, with the pitiful amount of magic she used to fuel it, he couldn't fathom a vampire outsourcing for her talents.

With a quick shrug and sharp stare, Harry used his wandless magic to bounce the spell back, causing her to crumple to the ground. Surprisingly, none of the other occupants even bat an eyelash. In fact, the handsome man, Klaus as he now knew, chuckled and hadn't removed his eyes from Harry.

"Aren't you going to help out your witch friend? Her kind doesn't do well when they get their arses handed to them," Harry said, canceling his spell and watching her lie still.

"Oh well, seeing as she's the one knocked out now, I guess that means she deserved it. Besides, she's not that important to the big picture," Klaus said, charisma and cockiness oozing from his velvet-smooth voice.

"And what is the big picture?" Harry whispered.

"You'll find out soon enough. I just need to make sure I can get all my pieces in place. Tonight is a full moon, you know?" Klaus said, standing up to walk towards the unconscious man he now realized was across the room.

"The bloody hell does that mean…" Harry whispered, knowing the man would hear him.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

"It's me! It's me! I swear!" Alaric said, his hands up in surrender, explaining to the crowd gathered in the Salvatore foyer that he was no longer possessed. After an intense turned awkward proofing of self, Alaric was led to sit and rest while the others gathered.

"Why the hell did he send you back then?!" Damon Salvatore asked his drinking partner.

"To give you guys a message. It happens tonight, the sacrifice happens tonight," the man confessed, frowning as he glanced at Elena's form, her body visibly shaking.

"Dammit! God fucking dammit!" Damon yelled, throwing a liquor glass to the opposing wall as the group moved into the main room.

Flinching as the glass shattered, Elena looked on as the chaos that had always followed her began to encroach on her last sanctuary of peace.

"That's not helping, Damon," Stefan said, coming to stand next to where Elena had chosen to take a seat.

"And standing around while this fucker continues to play us like chess pieces isn't helping either, brother!" Damon yelled, taking out his aggression by pouring himself another big gulp of bourbon.

"My brother is a creature of habit when he wants to achieve his goals. Spontaneous and sometimes monstrous he may be, but sloppy and unplanned he certainly is not. Frankly sending a messenger isn't that surprising. He has his pieces, he only needs to make his move," Elijah explained, walking away from the crowd to stand in front of them.

"You sure about that?" Alaric interjected, earning a look from them all. "Cause there might be a new player."

That got the group to halt all complaints and earned Alaric a confused but composed look from the Original.

"New player?" Elijah asked.

"I couldn't get a name, but it seemed like Klaus had him express delivered to my apartment. At least, that's what I overheard one of his minions complain about. I think… he might be a witch," Alaric supposed.

"Great! Now we have three witch henchmen to fucking deal with!" Damon sarcastically said.

Ignoring him, Alaric continued on, "he was young, probably around Elena's age, maybe a bit older; had black hair and these crazy green eyes. He seemed to be just as confused to be there as I was."

"And you came to this conclusion how?" Elijah questioned.

"The look on his face. When Klaus shoved me out, he gave me this look. I don't know what it was, but… it didn't seem like he was there of his own free will, is all I'm saying," Alaric finished.

"Well, this is all so damn interesting, but I don't get how psychoanalyzing an extra backup witch is going to help Elena not die!" Damon insisted, irritated at the conversation being detoured.

"It means that things have changed… or will change. All the curse needs to be broken is a werewolf, a vampire, and a-"

"Doppelganger," Elena filled in herself, her voice as shaky as ever.

"-and a witch to cast the spell. If he's gotten another piece on the board, it means we cannot be one hundred percent certain his course of action will remain the same. Is there anything else you can give us?" Elijah finished, questioning the history teacher turned hunter.

"Something about a wand… I think? Or maybe it was another word, I don't know," Alaric said, missing the pensive look on Elijah's face.

"I see… well, I must agree with Damon, then. We cannot dwell on this any longer with the ceremony happening tonight."

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

"So… why does sexy psycho vampire have you hauled up in this place?" Harry asked Katherine, crossing his arms as he eyed the devious minx.

"Well, let's just say you don't piss off someone who can hold a grudge for centuries," she snarked, wanting the inquisitive boy to leave her be.

"What? Did you spill tea on his favorite pantyhose back in the day or something? Kill his puppy? Fuck his father?" Harry asked with equal snark.

"If I wasn't compelled, I just want you to know that if I could, I would tear your throat out with my teeth, stick it back down your puny human esophagus, and watch and laugh as you choke on your own throat," Katherine threatened, annoyed at his incessant babbling.

"How does that whole compulsion thing work, since I'm guessing by your violent threats, you're also a vampire?" Harry said, ignoring the woman's threat.

"You… really don't know who the hell you're dealing with, huh?" She asked.

"Like I said when tweedle Dee and tweedle Dumb left, I don't know why the fuck I was brought here. Since you seem to know a lot about him, I figured maybe you could fill me in!" Harry answered back.

"He's… Klaus is trying to break a curse…" Katherine started before Harry interrupted.

"There's always some damn ancient curse, isn't there. If he knows about my kind, I don't know why the hell he couldn't just hire a curse breaker," Harry said, mumbling the last part to himself.

"Your kind?" Katherine asked, doing what she did best: observing and planning twenty steps ahead.

"Well-" Harry tried to say before the door to the apartment swung open to reveal that the man had returned.

"No need to waste your pretty voice on someone like Katerina anymore, Harry," Klaus said with a smile, bypassing the boy and going eye level with Katherine, "you'll stop pestering Harry now, love. Now go to that room and don't come out until you're told."

At his command, Katherine got up and walked towards the bathroom, closing the door behind her. "Now then, we're all alone."

"Under different circumstances, I feel like I'd be much more positive about being alone with someone like you," Harry said, earning mirth filled laughter from Klaus.

"Agreed, love. But time is of the essence and I need your help," Klaus said.

"Katherine said you had a curse you wanted to break. And if you know what I am, you'd know there are probably a thousand others who actually are in that line of work that would go _willingly_ with you," Harry said back.

Placing that sinful mouth of his by Harry's ear, the vampire whispered, "No… it needs to be you, boy who lived." At his title, Harry stiffened.

"Not even a year old and already passed through the Other Side. In my millennium of life, never have I heard of any supernatural being to come back all on their lonesome. But here was a boy, born of the witches and wizards who choose to keep away from us lot, thinking themselves as high and mighty, a hero to the masses," Klaus's arm began to slide down Harry's arm, with a sensuous touch, "once again passing through and back. It's hard to keep up with you lot, but when you know who to ask…"

"What does… that have to do with your curse?" Harry whispered carefully.

"Everything," Klaus said, sending chills through Harry's body.

"Well, I'm sorry to say I don't work well with people who kidnap me!" Harry said, steeling his nerves enough to fire off a _Stupefy._

Unfortunately, it seemed as though Klaus' vampire speed was enough to dodge the spell and give him time to shove Harry against the wall before he could fire off another. Smirking like the devil, Klaus trapped the boy in his grip, ghosting his fangs on the boy’s carotid artery.

"One bite and you'll be bleeding out on the floor, love, so I suggest you listen and make a wise decision," Klaus said as his hand traveled below Harry's waist, causing his breath to hitch. "You may be powerful, but you are nothing to a predator like me. So, how's about it? Help me break my curse and I'll give you _whatever_ you want _._ "

"…Like… hell…" Harry said between heated breaths, before casting a _Repulso_ to get the man off of him.

Smirking, Klaus took a moment to drink in the disheveled wizard before vamp-speeding to get Harry into a chokehold. "Feisty lover, huh? Just my type."

As if trying to physically squeeze out the air in Harry's lungs, Klaus pressed as hard as he needed before he was begging for air. At the sign of feigned resistance, Klaus let him go and knelt while Harry tried to catch his breath.

Leading his head up gently, Klaus stared into Harry's emerald eyes, his pupils dilating, "now listen, love. I'm going to need you to do some things for me when the time comes…"


	2. Let's Go Make Some New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry, beholden to Klaus' compulsion, is ordered to assist Klaus in his millennia in the making scheme. He's forced to watch as an innocent girl is forced to take the same walk he took, and there is nothing he can do about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up! It's chapter two time! This one is in a small bunch of planned chapters that are aptly named the "close to canon but Harry's there now" bunch. As the name suggests, this one sticks to TVD canon, though it changes a few things around. I promise once we get to like chapter four-ish, things will start to diverge, especially in the relationship department ;)
> 
> Also, how's the formatting? For Damned I was using HTML, but that's too much of a hassle so for this I'm trying the rich text editor. Is the paragraph spacing ok? 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy me trying to avoid writing chapter sixteen of Damned. And also look forward to a GoTxHP crossover fic that'll maybe be uploaded by New Years, as well as a Naruto fic around the same time!

"This is the only way! You think I'd let some crackpot _elixir_ be the only lifeline you have?!" Damon yelled, eyeing Elena's blood-covered mouth.

"You jackass! You absolute monster!" Elena yelled back, tears tipping from her ducts onto her face. Facing away, she hid her face as Damon attempted to come near her.

In that same second, a gust of wind passed by her. Looking up, she witnessed the fight that had broken out between the brothers.

"Why the fuck did you do that, Damon?!" Stefan screamed, lunging towards Damon.

"There isn't any other way! Do you really want to hinge your bets on some fancy magic potion?! At least with this, we know she'll come back!" Damon responded.

"As a vampire!" Stefan yelled, hurling a broken post towards his brother's stomach. Though, it failed to make an impact as Damon had caught it.

"I can take her hating me forever, but at least she'll be here."

Speeding up to him, Damon stabbed Stefan, leading Elena to try and diffuse the situation from escalating any further. "Stop it! Stop it! Goddamnit, stop it, Damon! You've done enough!"

"What the hell is going on!" Jenna screamed, stumbling onto the scene with Alaric.

"Get out of here, dude," Alaric said calmly to Damon, lifting his hands as the other batted them away, speeding out to most likely get a drink.

"He's out of control!" Alaric lambasted Stefan, who had moved Elena over to his bed to console her.

"I- I didn't think he'd be this stupid… do something that stupid…" Stefan said as he rubbed Elena's back, distracted enough to not notice the curious eyes of one Original staring at the scene before him. Clenching his teeth, the second eldest of the siblings sped into the main room to collect his now-defunct potion.

"So, does this mean it won't work?" An angry voice behind him said. Turning around, Elena’s guardian Jenna greeted Elijah.

"Jenna…" Elijah half greeted.

"I said, is it going to work?" Jenna reaffirmed, clenching her fists as she tried to steady her shakiness. "Because of what it sounded like up there, my brother's… daughter is about to walk to her death and come out of it as… one of you."

"It… seems as if that is, unfortunately, the case. You have my condolences," Elijah responded with the potion in hand, walking past her to the door.

"Where the hell are you going?!" Jenna yelled.

"To try and see if this mess can be fixed."

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Waking up in strange places wasn't an uncommon feat for Harry. Plenty of times did his trysts love to bring him along for rides across London, Europe, even the occasional South America, to try and woo him. But waking up in the bed of a shabby apartment with a psychopathic vampire was not one of these moments.

"Wakey, wakey, wizard boy," Klaus said, staring at him from his seated position. Tilting his head, the man sped to him, cupping his face. "You're such an interesting specimen if I'm honest. No one lasts after getting a hit on me, let alone an attempted second."

"Glad to see I'm still special. Not like I haven't heard that before," Harry said, rolling his eyes, trying to get out of Klaus' hold, unsuccessfully.

"Of course. Now, I need you to test something for me. I know this is a bit sudden, but I would love it if you could put those divine lips on mine," Klaus practically purred.

"Like hell, I'd-" Harry tried to say before a sudden euphoria kicked in; a haziness not unlike the sensation of being under the Imperius Curse. He felt a sudden, overwhelming draw to Klaus. Every corner of his mind screamed to follow his orders, while his body tried to fight it with every ounce of will it had. Unfortunately, it seemed as though his mind won out, as Harry crashed his lips onto Klaus'.

Once contact was made, Klaus expertly maneuvered his mouth, which in any other circumstance would have Harry weak in the knees. But being forced to kiss his kidnapper lit a fire in him, and once the euphoria began to fade, he quickly separated from the vampire, slapping him in the process.

Chuckling madly, Klaus used his vampire strength to push Harry back down on the bed with force, standing up from it to go pick something up in the corner. "These, love, are for you," he said, throwing a change of clothes onto the foot of the bed, "And thank you for the kiss, sweet, now I know how far I can push you. Get changed, we have friends to make."

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

"You must be Klaus," Damon grumbled, five whiskeys closer to the sweet bliss of drunken ignorance. Klaus merely smiled at the younger vampire’s flippant greeting, knowing that his insolence would prove to be a non-factor in the end. Taking in the site of this former shell and the vampire before him, Klaus was baffled as to why Katherine and his brother held such a strange affinity towards them. Katherine may have loved one of the Salvatore brothers, but his brother seemed to have other things on his mind, perhaps revenge? Perhaps even a lingering flame for the face that launched millennia of conflict, Helen of Troy be damned.

"And you must be Damon, the wild brother if I've been told correctly," Klaus said, taking up the seat next to the vampire and teacher pair.

"What do you want, Klaus?" Alaric angrily said, still bitter over the hijacking of his body.

"Just to let you know not to do anything stupid… well, more stupid than trying to defy me as much as you already have. I have my witch, I have my werewolf, and I have my vampire. And tonight? I get my doppelganger. So, stay out of my way," Klaus threatened with a cold smile, not remiss to the leers the pair sent him as he made his way out of The Grill and away from them.

“Shit.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry watched on from under the thrall of his Disillusionment Charm, blending into the greenery behind him. The pair he was tasked… rather forced to watch was a curious one. If what Klaus had told him was to be believed, the girl was simply a human high schooler, caught in a war that started with the face she wore; and the boy, a vampire with wistful imaginations of the banality of the human existence. He was trying his hardest to resist the urges that Klaus had forcefully buried in his mind, wanting nothing to do with anyone else’s problems, but here he was, compulsion lodged in deep in his head, farther down than any curse or charm could attempt to reach. He felt the weight of Klaus’ words in every fiber of his body, anchoring him to the pair as they traversed the backwoods of this small quaint town.

Following their lead, Harry marveled at what seemed like the dissolution of life on Earth for the two; they cried, hugged, walked on, and repeated that cycle throughout the day they spent together. While he couldn’t hear what they were saying, he could read their body language; perhaps even better than the two could read each other. It was a gift of his, or maybe even a curse; to see the peculiar ticks and habits of people, even if they didn’t know them themselves. It was a defense mechanism with the people he was forced to grow up with, but it grew even more as he found that those in his own home weren’t the _only_ ones trying to make an attempt on his life.

He could see the way she shut herself down, withdrawing into her own space, even in the arms of her lover. Even when the vampire would try and bridge the gap between the two, it seemed as though the chasm of impending death and doom was enough to shutter any nominal conversations about the future. In her, Harry saw the boy he used to be, scared, alone, and in serious need of a life overhaul. But, having your life upended by vampires should’ve been enough to get her out of that shell, so it seemed like the problem went deeper than that.

And in him? Well, Harry seemed to be catching on something that not even the girl was. The way he clung onto her, not physically, but in a way where he’d approach her as if she was the last vine that held him from falling into a deep ravine. His connection to this world seemed to not be all that material. Harry was never one to psychoanalyze anyone, but it seemed like he was afraid; afraid that if the ritual he’d been told about goes through, there would be nothing but pain and emptiness tethering him to this plane. If you asked him, they were a self-implosion waiting to happen, and tonight would be the night he would see the fireworks.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this… I was supposed to grow up, have a life… have a future… and now, it’s all gone,” Elena cried to Stefan for the umpteenth time today. Her sorrow was palpable, and it made Stefan fight every urge to just whisk her away from all of it. He knew deep down, even if he wanted to ignore it, that tonight was the night that he’d have his heart shattered again. He’d lose the girl he loved to the same diseased existence that took the first.

“It’s going to be all right, Elena. Even… even if you come back as a vampire, you’ll have me and Caroline too. You’ll have people to take care of you and to help you transition,” Stefan cooed, kissing the top of her head as she buried her face in his chest.

“I’m scared, Stefan...” Elena whispered as Stefan just hugged her closer.

Stefan shifted slightly, not wanting to disturb his girlfriend. He could feel something in the trees, maybe even the air, or perhaps the waterfall. It was an energy; he could taste it every breath he took. As he hugged Elena, he swept the area with his eyes, trying to source the presence.

Harry watched on and realized that he’d been spotted, or rather noticed by the vampire. He’d thought his spell was foolproof, but it seemed like his charm skills needed a bit of work. Slowly backing away from any possible line of sight, Harry waited until the vampire had stopped looking to move away. Casting a silencing spell, he made his way to a clearing in the woods they were in to Apparate away.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“How was the picnic love? Hope the lovely couple wasn’t too pedestrian for your tastes,” Klaus drawled out when he noticed the shift in the air, a hallmark of Harry’s re-entrance into the apartment.

“So that girl is your… doppelganger?” Harry asked, taking in Katherine’s appearance to compare the two.

“Yes, that she is. And tonight, she’ll be the final piece of the puzzle. The final stepping stone to my ultimate freedom,” Klaus gloated, earning mutual eye-rolls from his peanut gallery.

“And she has to die for that? They all do? Isn’t there another way?” Harry carefully asked. While he wasn’t attached to any of Klaus’ enemies, the thought of needless bloodshed weighed down on Harry. No one, not a doppelganger, not a chosen one, not a vampire, not anything deserved to be needlessly killed; especially for the sake of something so arbitrary.

“I’ve been at this for over a thousand years, love. If I had found another way to do this, then I would’ve already done it. Besides, why would you care enough to try and reason with me? You don’t even know them. Hell, Katherine’s been toying with those brothers for longer than you’ve been alive, and she only marginally cares about one,” Klaus said, entering into Harry’s personal space.

“Because there’s no point in messing with people’s lives for stupid reasons like yours. There are thousands of magical people in the world that would take top dollar to help unbind whatever the hell it is that’s been sealed inside you. You could’ve gone to a professional curse break to help with that fucking stone, and yet here you are; kidnapping me and her over there, hijacking some man’s body and wreaking havoc on his life, and using a human girl’s life as a bargaining chip to whatever or whoever did that to you,” Harry said to him with deadly intent, though not enough to phase Klaus. The vampire regarded Harry’s little tirade as a cub trying to sass their fully grown mother; naive and oh so innocent in his outlook on life.

“You know nothing of my plans or my motivations, love. You are just a pretty little chess piece in the grander scheme of things,” Klaus said to Harry, before speeding to the door to allow his witch inside. The witch sneered at both Harry and Katherine, before putting on a sickeningly sweet smile to Klaus. “I have your spare ready, Klaus.”

“Good, good, Greta,” Klaus praised, turning to Katherine next, “now, I need you to do something for me. Give lovely aunt Jenna a call, would you, _Elena_?”

Snatching the phone from Klaus’ hand, Katherine dialed a number and waited for the other end to pick up. “Jenna… please… something happened… I’m so scared, please come help me,” the vampire said in a very timid manner. Hanging up, Katherine’s temporary facade was instantly gone as she handed the phone back.

“Why the long face, Katerina? Isn’t causing chaos wherever you go your forte? Your mission in life?” Klaus sarcastically asked.

“I’ve been through having every person I loved slaughtered by _you,_ Klaus. I’m a bitch, but I’m not completely heartless,” Katherine growled, turning to face away from him.

“Well, that settles that. All that’s left is my lovely doppelganger. Harry, would you be a dear and pick her up for me?” Klaus said, his voice giving Harry a shiver.

“And why can’t you do it?” Harry asked.

“It’s more fun this way,” Klaus responded, giving Harry an unconsented kiss on the cheek before he Apparated away.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Elena, look… you don’t have to go! We can find a way to-” Stefan tried to say as they both got out of his car. The sky was black, and it wasn’t helping the already bleak mood that had laid itself over the pair as they drove back to his house.

“I can’t do that, Stefan. Too many people have gotten hurt because of me and my place in _all_ of this. We’ll get through this, Stefan, I promise,” Elena tried to say. The roles of their earlier outing reversed; Elena the comforter and Stefan on the verge of breaking down.

“It’s time,” Harry said behind the two of them, imposing as much sympathy as he could. The parallels seemed to run even deeper between the two of them, Harry, and Elena. All the way down to walking to their own doom, all for the sake of the people they loved.

The sight of an unfamiliar agent caused Elena to tense up until she remembered Alaric’s warning about a potential new player in this game. Stefan took the boy in front of him as a threat, but something in his head nudged him to dislodge some of those thoughts. Maybe it was the look of sympathy on his face, though that could easily be faked. Perhaps it was the feeling in the air around him, just like… that time they were in the forests of Mystic Falls.

“It was you, wasn't it?” Stefan accused, or rather asked, his tone and body language too in-flux to ascertain. “In the forest, that was you who I felt.”

“Yes,” Harry simply answered, trying to keep a straight face. “And look, if it’s worth anything… I’m sorry you have to do this. Having the world on your shoulders, depending on you to sacrifice everything for their sakes fucking sucks.”

“Who the hell do you think you are to act like you give a shit?! You’re working for Klaus!” Stefan yelled, being held back by Elena’s semi-firm grip.

“Stefan, that’s enough!” Elena said, trying to diffuse the already tense situation from getting even worse.

“I am... _Not_ working for that absolute arse of a vampire. I don’t want to be in this situation any more than you do,” Harry gritted out, catching the two by surprise.

“Witches can’t be compelled!” Elena said, surprised that the boy in front of them would attempt such a piss poor excuse.

“It’s a good thing for Klaus that I’m not… exactly a witch. Listen… Klaus is forcing me to do this and told me to get you to him. So please, for all our sakes, come with me cleanly,” Harry said to Elena, trying to convey as much empathy as he could. Stefan listened to his heart, trying to see if his heart ticked at all, and was… confused to hear that his heart stayed steady as he confessed his circumstances in all this.

“He’s telling… he’s telling the truth,” Stefan whispered in Elena’s ear, causing her eyes to widen.

“Look, we don’t have much time. You guys and I both want this to go as smoothly as possible. There doesn’t need to be any more bloodshed, so _please_ , come with me, Elena,” Harry implored for what was most likely the last time before he’d be obligated, via Klaus’ compulsion, to follow his orders without the use of force.

“I… have to go, Stefan,” Elena finally said, turning to her boyfriend. Tears streamed down both their faces as Elena slowly backed away towards Harry. “Close your eyes, Stefan. Just close them.”

Doing as he was told, Stefan closed his eyes as Harry gently placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a look of sympathy before Apparting both of them away. When Stefan reopened his eyes, he was met with the haunting silence of solitude.

“Ah, there she is, my long-awaited doppelganger.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if it wasn't clear in this chapter, Stefan and Elena are still together. Don't worry, he'll realize he wants some wizard pie later on, but I gotta let him and Elena down gently before they're off screwing other people. Also, there won't be any Elena bashing, which seems to be the norm of most TVDxHP fics. I don't have much of a grudge against her, and I feel like it'll be more interesting to have her as a non-annoying entity than one that you all want me to kill off later. 
> 
> Thank you for the comments from last time, I'll try to answer any questions or suggestions if you leave any for this chapter, though be nice!
> 
> Anyway, the next chapter is the ritual and its aftermath, so look forward to it!


	3. The Adults Are Talking Right Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ritual begins as the cogs of Mystic Falls meet and shift. What is Harry's role in all of this? And what does Klaus want from him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! As I was writing this over the course of the two weeks since the last chapter was posted, I realized that a certain portion of this chapter turned into "exposition city" and was trying to rework it to not only: a) flow better but also b) make some sense. Hopefully, I've explained what the magic metaphysics are for this combined universe, though if you see inconsistencies, please point them out to me! 
> 
> Also, P.S. a new chapter of my other fic "Being Damned By The Devil Isn’t So Bad" will be posted at the end of this month! I know it's been almost a year since the last update, but the MCU moved so fast and they got to the Eternals before I could (spoilers for where the fic would've gone last year). I've tweaked it a bit, and I'll explain everything in the notes for that later.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

"You look every bit the beauty dear Katerina used to be before she decided to fuck with my plans," Klaus said to Elena as she and Harry Apparated into the room. "Hopefully, you'll be much more compliant than your ancestor here."

Katherine took the jab with a gritted scowl that could cut glass, with how hard she was pursing her lips. Harry took that as his cue to back away and leave the vampires and doppelganger to their own devices. He'd already been forced to do so much for Klaus these past two days, and he'd be damned if he had to willingly listen to a centuries-old pissing match.

Turning his back to the scene behind him, Harry attempted to try and deal with the shit show he was being dragged into with a bit of liquid courage. Pouring himself a bourbon from the teacher's stash, Harry downed the glass in record time, being used to drinking alcohol that made one literally breath fire. Licking his lips, Harry took a seat on the table and watched as Klaus poked and prodded Elena like she was a cow ready to go to slaughter.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena asked in a quiet voice, a whisper that Harry could barely hear, but the vampires in the room surely could.

"Because, darling, I deserve to walk this Earth with the power my blood was born with; not with the chains the witches bound me with, not with the weight of my family bearing down on my heart, not with being tethered to a fucking _rock_ , but with my body _roaring_ with power," Klaus explained to her with his oppressive aura suffocating the occupants of the room.

"If… if I do this, you won't hurt them, will you?" Elena said, trying to bargain with Klaus.

"You have to be more specific, love. Others much cleverer and cunninger have learned that it's better to explain their wishes in detail than to allow someone like me to take advantage of any hint of naivety," Klaus snarked.

"My brother, my friends… Stefan, Damon, Alaric, Jenna… I want you to honor what I'm going to do for you by leaving them alone," Elena said carefully, knowing she was traversing very thin ice.

"Hmm… Harry, love. What should I say to that?" Klaus said, bring Harry into the fold of their dealings. Perking up slightly, Harry gave the man a partial sneer before curving his mouth down into a frown for Elena's sake. "Come on, doll! I asked _nicely._ What should I say to her?"

At the implication of a command, Harry's mind was sent into a familiar spiral of euphoria. He knew he'd be unable to resist him, yet he tried to fight it as best he could. His brief silence piqued the curiosity of both doppelgangers in the room, though that only lasted a second before an answer left his mouth. "You should respect her wishes. She's going to die tonight, so the least you could do is… the… the least you could do is leave those she's leaving behind alone."

"Well, it looks as if you have a guardian angel, dear Elena. Or rather, I guess he'd be a genie since he's going to get your wish granted," Klaus said, smirking before he tightly gripped Elena to shove her towards Greta. And as the witch used her magic to forcibly guide Elena out with her, Elena gave one last look to Harry before leaving both his and Klaus' sights.

"I'll leave them alone, dear. But I should expect the same done for me!" Klaus yelled as the pair left out the door. The man chuckled before turning his sights to Harry once again. "Love, was that a stutter I heard? Almost sounded like you were trying to ignore my polite asking of you!"

"Fuck you," Harry said bluntly to Klaus.

"I want only one other thing in the world more than that, and since I'm getting that tonight, perhaps I can indulge you," Klaus sarcastically joked, chuckling at Harry's hardened stare as he made his way to the door. "You'll come around soon enough!"

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Why the fuck did you let her go?!" Damon nearly screamed into his phone, his conversation with Stefan close to waking the dead if Damon kept his yelling up.

"What happened?!" Alaric asked behind Damon, getting no answer in response.

"What was I supposed to do? Huh?! That witch Alaric told us about came to pick her up, said he'd have to use force if Elena didn't come with him," Stefan said as he poured himself a drink.

"So?! You're a one-hundred-year-old vampire! Ric said he looked like he was Elena's age! You could've kicked his ass and gotten her out of there!" Damon argued, forcefully opening the door to his car as his friend did the same, albeit not as harshly.

"And do what? Hide her? If Klaus found her once, he'd do it again! Plus, he has three witches now! Not to mention Elena and her fucking martyr complex!" Stefan said, setting down his drink with enough force to crack the glass and the table below it.

"Well, then at least there's one good thing that happened today. He's down a witch," Damon said, driving towards his drinking partner's apartment.

"What the hell did you do?!" Stefan asked forcefully.

"I-" Damon tried to say before Alaric interrupted him.

"He killed the guy who downed me back when Klaus possessed me. Tried to be a hero and ended up doing something even dumber than killing one of Klaus' witches," Alaric said to Stefan, earning a glare from the older brother.

"What he said," Damon admitted.

"Wait? Dumber than what? What the hell happened?" Stefan once again asked.

"I found out where and who his sacrifices were. He was gonna use Caroline and that wolf boy, Tyler Lockwood, as the vampire and werewolf ingredients. I figured they were in some jail, got them out, and killed one of his witches, all in one fell swoop," Damon said, popping the 'P' in swoop as he drove at a faster speed.

"I- did you not think that he wouldn't react?! Damon, stupid shit like that could get any one of us- anyone that Elena cared about, killed!" Stefan harshly rebuked.

"I got that covered, little brother. Just sit your pretty little butt in your favorite couch and let me rescue the girl," Damon said, letting out a harsh exasperated sigh as he hung up on Stefan.

"You know he won't just stay put, right?" Alaric asked as they neared his commandeered apartment.

"Nope," Damon replied, "but let's hope I can do something incredibly stupid before he can."

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

"Fuck," Harry said under his breath, marching towards the alcohol cubby to pour another drink for himself and his fellow unwilling guest. "You want one?"

The vampire simply nodded, sauntering over to take the glass he had eventually poured for her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I figured if we're both in this unwillingly, we might as well enjoy the free booze," Harry said, a bitter twisted smirk on his face as he made a cheering gesture, which was in turn reciprocated.

"How the hell can he get you to follow his orders? I've never seen a witch be compelled before," Katherine said, breaking the brief silence.

Chuckling dryly, Harry pursed his lips before formulating his answer. "You didn't hear anything the night I got here? You were just in that other room."

"Hearing and knowing are two separate things, kid. Now, how the hell can Klaus use compulsion on you when witches can't be compelled?" Katherine replied with her trademark bitchy snark.

"Listen… honest answer? I have not one fucking clue. I don't know a rat’s arse about why Klaus can use that naturally built-in vampire Imperius on me, nor has he explained why he needed me here when that wench that follows him like a puppy is here!" Harry answered back.

"Ok then, question two: you said you weren't the same kind of witch as Greta, what the hell does that mean?" Katherine queried once more.

"Look, I don't know all of the intricacies and nuances of the magical community, nor would I want to share it with a vampire-like you," Harry said in response.

"And besides, you've been alive- err, in existence for almost how long?" Harry began to ask, "and you've never once run across someone like me?"

"First off, don't ever ask about a woman's age; second, not everyone's had the privilege of living in _Magic-Ville_. Some of us have had a homicidal vampire maniac after them for centuries!" Katherine said, using her vamp-speed to taunt Harry into retaliating.

Unfortunately for her, Harry was able to hold his ground as he stared at her. "Then I have no obligation to explain anything to you. From what I've seen here, it looks like you're on Klaus' shit list, so I would worry about that before you start interrogating me. As I said, you've been alive longer than I have, chances are you've likely run into one without even noticing."

"That still doesn't explain your role in this. I've kept tabs on this damn curse for centuries and there is no mention of some wand wielding sarcastic asshole!" Katherine bit out.

"Legends and myths change all the time, so I'm certain this little curse everyone here is so obsessed with went through a few drafts before it was delivered to the undead and hairy masses," Harry snarked, pouring himself another glass.

"Well, then it's a good thing I have the copy to the original… Harry, was it?" A voice from outside the door responded, surprising the two occupants of the apartment.

"Who the hell is there?!" Harry asked, not noticing the way Katherine tensed up.

Before he could go and answer the door, Katherine sped to stop him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"And why the bloody hell not?" Harry said, working around her to get closer, only to be stopped again.

"Because, wizard boy, that-" Katherine tried to say, before the door was forcibly opened, slamming into the wall.

"Because Katerina, unfortunately, suffers from an aversion to members of my family. Though, I will say I can't blame her," the man in the suit said, devilishly handsome in appearance.

"But I can blame _you_ ," Katherine said, shifting her jaw before speeding to the couch to lie down with the rest of the bottle she and Harry were drinking.

"Well, you two seem to know each other, and you seem to know me. Mind introducing yourself, mysterious suit-wearing man?" Harry asked, raising a speculative eyebrow at the man.

"Elijah Mikaelson, I believe you're acquainted with my dear younger brother," Elijah said, eyeing the way Harry tensed at the mention of Klaus' name.

"Vamp-bitch was right, I shouldn't have answered," Harry said, all previous snark gone, in its place a hardened exterior. The boy didn't acknowledge the frown on the vampire's face, instead eyeing the ornate vial in his hands.

"Here to deliver a victory drink to your brother?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"No, this vial was meant for Elena Gilbert, I'm sure you're acquainted. And no to the suggestion that I would do anything to celebrate a victory for my brother," Elijah replied.

"That so? Then why are you here?" Harry asked.

"To speak to you. I heard from Mystic Fall's band of misfits that a witch of unknown origin had joined my brother's quest for freedom from his curse. However, low and behold I come to find that said witch had a wand. This led me to the conclusion Niklaus had contracted the talents of a wizard," Elijah laid out, earning a huff from Harry and a whistle of impression from Katherine.

"You were always the most logical, Elijah," Katherine said, a hint of… longing, perhaps, lacing her response.

"Well, you're a bit off on your deduction. Klaus didn't contract me, I was kidnapped and compelled to do his dirty work," Harry bit out bitterly.

"And how did you come about getting compelled?" Elijah asked.

"Twenty Questions is getting old real fast," Harry snarked with a huff, "Anyway, bloody hell if I know. One minute I'm attempting to beat his arse, the next he's choking me, and not in a fun way."

"I woke up the next morning and suddenly after he tells me to, I get overwhelmed with the urge to kiss your brother," Harry explained.

"I see. Then it seems my brother would have you unwilling in all his machinations. That's good to know," Elijah said as he began to back away.

"Any way you could help? We're both sort of stuck here," Harry called out.

"My apologies, but unfortunately I am beholden to the rules of the undead, just as Katerina and my dear brother are. I would help, but I have plans to formulate," Elijah said before vamp-speeding away.

"That family's full of tossers," Harry finally said after a momentary pause.

"Cheers to that," Katherine said from the couch, taking a big swig before offering Harry the same.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“You’re Greta, right? Luka’s sister? The one Jonas was looking for?” Elena asked as she sat still in the back of a van, being transported to who knows where.

“I’m not obligated to talk to the sacrificial lamb, so I’d shut it before you make me seal your mouth shut,” Greta growled out, earning a chuckle from her beloved master Klaus.

“That’s no way to treat our honored guest, Greta dear. Be nice,” Klaus said, a devious smirk on his face as he eyed the hidden uncomfortableness Greta hid behind her trained eyes. She thought he couldn’t see how much it did pain her to hear of her family’s demise, but he had lived for more than a millennium manipulating people. He knew the telltale signs of redirection, of the fronts people, living, undead, or otherwise, put on when they wanted to guard their true emotions. It amused him to see her falter so much in the span of a day when she had thought of herself as his mistress of magic when in reality she was as useless to him as the vampire and werewolf were in all this. A piece in a puzzle only he, and perhaps his brother knew of.

“Yes… they were my family. But now, I serve Klaus and the new order,” Greta said, preening at the grin Klaus gave her.

“But you’re a witch! You’re supposed to protect the order of things! The balance of nature! Helping Klaus goes against all that!” Elena tried to reason with her, a last futile attempt to avoid her inevitable fate.

“Did you not hear me? I serve Klaus and the new order his awakening will bring about! Not even those damn spirits will be able to stand up to him,” Greta said with reverence.

“See, Elena? That’s what loyalty and power will get you,” Klaus taunted, “Though, you should know all about loyalty with how you’ve strung those Salvatore’s along to come at your beck and call, huh?”

“What- no, I haven’t… I’m not stringing them along!” Elena said in defense of herself.

“Of course, love, I’m sure the idiot of the two isn’t barreling towards my little base of operations now, while the other is a bit off our tail, out of their mutual desire for no bloodshed. You might as well realize it now, with so little time left. Katherine did, though that seemed to be after she threw her heart away to lose any baggage,” Klaus said, mocking Elena.

“I- Stefan wouldn’t be that stupid! He- promised that he would just let me go…” Elena said, now realizing the actions of the brothers could spell disaster after she was gone.

“Don’t worry, Elena. This once, I’ll forgive both their transgressions. I just hope they have enough brain matter between the two of them to leave well enough alone once you’re gone,” Klaus said.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“So, how the fuck are we gonna do this?” Alaric asked his vampire friend, eyeing the look of contemplation on his face. “You have a plan, right?”

“Yeah… a plan… sure, bud,” Damon flippantly said, stopping in front of the door to Alaric’s commandeered apartment.

“Jesus fuck, Damon! Seriously?!” Alaric berated him.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get in there!” Damon ordered, smirking half-heartedly at putting his friend in there without a plan. Alaric took the suggestion with a huff, before moving in front of his to open the door. Preparing himself for a face full of fangs, Alaric was stunned to see a familiar pair of heads lounging in there.

“You two?! Where the hell is Klaus?” Alaric asked, earning the attention of the two.

“You just missed him, teacher man. He’s off to do the ritual,” Harry answered first from his perch on the counter of the kitchen. Alaric shifted his eyes from the wizard to the vampire that had been the scorn of his, and many others’, lives. Sneering at her, Alaric quickly turned around to allow Damon entrance into his abode.

“You must be the witch that ‘napped Elena?” Damon asked, a vengeful tint in his voice as he looked ready to take out his anger on the Brit.

“Just to let you know, I was able to toss Klaus around for a bit, and he’s supposed to be- the _big bad vampire-_ so I suggest directing that anger to him and not me unless you want me to toss you around as well,” Harry answered, sensing the reason for Damon’s aggression. Said vampire sneered before turning his attention to a familiar face.

“Where the hell did they go, Katherine?” Damon said, using his vampire powers to speed to her and throw her against the wall. Though, the five-century-old vampire didn’t take the physical violence lightly, as she too used her powers to reverse the situation.

“First off, don’t fucking touch me, Damon. Second, like wizard-boy over there said, Klaus is with your precious Elena. By now, he’s probably sucking the last wisps of life-” Katherine taunted before Damon threw her across the room.

“Watch it, dude! It’s still my apartment!” Alaric whined.

“Shut it, Ric! The adults are talking right now!” Damon rudely remarked as he stared down Katherine from the place she occupied on the ground.

“Oh, so we’re the adults now, Damon? That little tantrum you pulled when you were trying to get me out of-” Katherine mocked before a sharp ringtone broke the atmosphere. The three oldest inhabitants of the room looked to the source, which turned out to be Harry’s phone.

Harry looked at his phone with a hard stare, as if he was struggling to decide whether or not he should answer. Katherine eyed the other two men’s confusion while she too formulated her thoughts. This was the second instance of her witnessing Harry resisting his compulsion, a fact that she hid away in her brain for now.

“You gonna get that, pipsqueak?” Damon asked, to which Harry’s hand grabbed the phone and sharply raised it to his ear.

Before taking the call, Harry took a deep breath before answering the ring. “What?” Harry asked sharply.

“I think it’s time you came over to play, love,” Klaus said with a chuckle, causing the rest of the occupants to freeze up.

“Don’t… please don’t make me do this, Klaus,” Harry quietly pleaded, not caring enough that the vampires on both ends could hear him. “I don’t want to do this, Klaus…”

“I know, love… but you have to,” Klaus said with an edge of sympathy, but Harry knew better than to expect such humanity from the man. The vampire didn’t have a sympathetic bone in his body, and Harry could practically hear the condescending smirk on his face. “And tell our guests that if they come anywhere near our little party, I’ll rip out the throats of each and every single loved one of theirs.”

At that threat, Damon and Katherine froze up, while Alaric looked on, clueless to the gravity of the situation. Harry looked to Damon and Alaric and mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ before Apparating away, much to the shock of the two men. Katherine took in the scene, planning as many steps ahead of this shitshow as she could, just like she always had.

“Welcome, love. I’m so glad you could join us,” Klaus said immediately after Harry landed. Said wizard took the scene in; of the two other women he supposed were the vampire and werewolf, of the man he recognized as Elena’s lover, and of the aforementioned doppelganger, all knocked out. The three women were in rings of fire, surrounding the bitch-witch Greta, while Stefan seemed to be staked on the ground.

“Harry, you remembered what I asked of you that first night, right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I know I said the ritual would happen this chapter (I think) but I had another idea that shifted things a bit! Don't worry, the differences to the canon ritual will be explained, and you'll finally find out why Klaus wants Harry so bad (other than his bum hehe)


	4. I Quite Like the Symmetry of Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things begin to unfold at an apocalyptic rate as the ritual commences, the different pieces on the board make their moves as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up! Chapter 4 time! And this one was a fun one to write! Lots of things going on and you guys finally get to see some subplots begin to form, especially between the soon to be lovely triad. Although, I will say it's been so long since I watched season 2 that some of the events may happen very differently to what happened in canon, so just chalk that up to this being canon divergence and not my ass being lazy and not wanting to rewatch :) anyway, enough rambling, enjoy the chapter!

_“…When that time comes, I need you to help me with a little ritual. Use a bit of extra magical energy, courtesy of my witches’ noble sacrifices,” Klaus said with a devious smirk, “and tear the curse apart, on this side and the Other Side. It has to be you, boy-who-lived, the only being with the means to shatter spells and travel across the boundary of life and death. I’ll keep you safe… no need to worry about anything. When I call, just keep your mind on me and your duty, and it’ll all be fine…”_

_“I’ve spent thousands of years keeping track of this curse, so you can see why I was so hasty in commissioning my witches to escort you here immediately. To find out one day that a man I’d turned centuries ago had the answer to my little curse problem… well, the version of the curse that I had planted among the vampires and werewolves of the world, was shocking, really! Calling me after all these years, telling me that the little minx he’d fucked just hours before his call could help set me free, let alone just who that minx was… now that was a true surprise.” Klaus whispered to Harry’s unconscious form in the teacher’s bed, tilting his head to see the gentle expression he was wearing despite the violence inflicted upon him._

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry stood still as Klaus came to his side in an instant, courtesy of his vampire speed, and palmed his cheek. He had tried to fight the overwhelming euphoria and cloudiness of his mind, but not even he could muster the power to break the very first compulsion Klaus had trapped him in. Every thought that flitted through his mind was of Klaus and the curse.

He wasn't a murderer… _Klaus needed him to do his duty…_ he didn’t want to see another innocent person get hurt… _if it helps Klaus, I have to do it…_ these people’s lives are going to be changed forever… _the only thing that matters is Klaus…_

“Ready, dance partner?” Klaus finally said, trailing the hand that was on his cheek towards his hand. Smiling at the lack of resistance, Klaus led him towards the site of inevitable carnage. Greta eyed him with contempt, much to the amusement of the soon-to-be hybrid.

"What is _he_ doing here, master? I don't need someone like him to help free you!" Greta proclaimed, motioning her hands to face her palms to the full moon. The flames surrounding the women burned even hotter and reached even higher. It seemed as though her jolt of magical energy had awakened two of the occupants. One he recognized as Elena, and another he couldn't discern.

"What… Jenna? Oh my god! Jenna!" Elena said in a panic, her voice trembling as she began to remember why her aunt was here in the first place.

"Elena? I… don't understand what happened? I- I remember drinking blood, but then… my head went blank… what's going on?" Jenna said, her voice reflecting the weakness she felt in her newly undead body.

"Sorry about that, dearies. I had to stall a bit so my guest of honor could witness my ascension!" Klaus haughtily gloated, gesturing to Harry. At the sight of the wizard, Elena's eyes widened in recognition, and a sense of unease filled her as he glanced at his blank eyes. "Now, let's begin, shall we? Greta, if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course not," Greta said with a smirk, glancing back for a millisecond to take in Harry's stoic state. Waving her hands and chanting in Latin, the circle of hellfire surrounding the blonde wolf woman opened, as if to beckon Klaus to enter.

"Now, let's see here. Jules, right? Before we go any further, I just want to say thank you. What you're doing for me today… it'll be impossible for me to repay, so all I can hope to do is make this as painless as possible," Klaus said to her still unconscious body, before violently jabbing his hand into her chest and effectively ending her life then and there.

At the sight of the carnage, both Elena and Jenna let out horrified screams, with Elena desperately looking to her still knocked out lover and to her Aunt beside her. Their whimpers or fear was like ambrosia to Klaus, like ecstasy in the air. It'd been so long since anything he had done led to such visceral reactions. Turning around, he could practically smell the desperation in the remaining two women. Smirking like the devil he was, Klaus came to Greta, unceremoniously dropping the carved-out heart of Jules into a cauldron.

Slowly, yet gracefully, walking around, Klaus came to stop behind the witch, ghosting his hands onto her sides in a sensual manner. As the two conscious members of the crowd looked on in disgust, Klaus and Greta shared a hardy laugh.

"We're so close, master," Greta whispered, leaning into Klaus' hold, relishing in the newfound energy flowing through her from the death of the werewolf.

" _I_ am, aren't I?" Klaus said in response, gazing upon Elena from the crook of Greta's neck. He smirked into her skin, eyeing the look of disdain and anger marring Elena's face.

"Shall we take the vampire next?" Greta said, causing the two other women to stiffen.

"Jenna…" Elena whimpered, letting the avalanche of tears fall from her eyes. She looked to her Aunt and mouthed her goodbyes. "Turn it off… just turn it off…"

Shaking her head toward her niece, Jenna turned to face her impending death at the hands of the hybrid. "Do your worst."

Chuckling at her misplaced bravery, Klaus turned his eyes to Harry's forgotten figure in the back. Smiling, Klaus raised his hands to Greta. While she took this as her cue to enact the next phase of the spell, Klaus had a much different idea. Hearing footsteps behind her, Greta had no time at all to fight back as Harry took one swipe with his wand.

"Sectumsempra!"

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Elijah watched from a great distance, witnessing the ritual that would free his brother from his chains. He stood on a hill, utilizing centuries worth of skill to hide his presence from his brother. He knew the two vampires there weren't old enough to feel him there, but he knew he had to be careful with Klaus. His brother's megalomaniac tendencies made him unpredictable; while he was a stickler for tradition and planning, the closer to his goals Klaus got, the more rash he could get.

So, he stood solemnly as he watched the three women being taken to the site, one by one. He felt bad for Jenna, as she, among all the participants in this play, was perhaps the most innocent of them all. Still, he knew it wasn't his time to interfere. Though, with the plan depending on the Bennett Witch, he was careful to not put all his eggs into the proverbial basket. The wizard's arrival was truly throwing Elijah for a loop, as he thought those people were strict on staying out of the dealings of "lowly creatures" as he had been told in one encounter with them.

Still, the age of the boy, and what he had gained from seeing the boy in person, led him to his newest postulation. Involving someone as important to the wizard's as the boy was perhaps a stroke of genius, or even idiocy, on his brother's part. There had to be something his brother knew, something that led him down this new path. He had seen, _imagined,_ this very situation taking place; over the centuries, he had gone over every possible way this day would come to. Even when the two fell out, he bided his time, waiting for the time he'd see the sweet face of his dear younger brother from so long ago, once again.

His brother wasn’t a fool, far from it in fact. While crude and cruel, his methods of preserving their secrecy and family along the centuries proved to be the most effective. Klaus had an instinct about him, no doubt from the lycanthropy in his blood, that allowed him to make the perfect decisions at the perfect times. Elijah, while the most logical of the brood, had nothing on the cunning his younger brother had. So, when he laid eyes on the wizard that he had just seen hours ago stepping onto the scene, he was worried.

“What are you doing to him, brother,” Elijah whispered to himself, allowing the wind to shield his voice from alerting his brother. Letting out a deep breath as he stood stoic to the sounds of Klaus’ hand plunging into the unprotected bosom of the wolf woman, stealing away her heart. Sending a message on his phone to the Bennet girl, Elijah trekked his way closer, ready to strike at the right moment. That is until he saw his brother make a gesture towards his direction. From what he could hear among the strong winds of nature, the witch was to start the process once more with Jenna. Deciding to wait until the innocent woman was killed, Elijah was shocked to see the boy move on the command of Klaus.

“He… compelled the boy?!” He whispered to himself. 

His feet were firmly planted in the spot he was in, waiting to see what would happen. But what did happen had caused him, for the first time in centuries, true shock; watching as the boy used his magic to slit the throat of Klaus’ favored witch. His instincts were screaming at him, to intervene and stop a catastrophe from happening to the world. So, he followed them, running as fast as he could to the site of desecration.

“For our family, for our forever.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“That’s the signal,” Bonnie said, letting out a shaky exhale, closing her eyes to focus the power that was running through her veins.

“Bonnie… this isn’t a good idea! You might not be juiced up enough to handle Klaus! What if-” Jeremy tried to plead before Bonnie silenced him with a kiss.

“Don’t worry, it’s not just the ancestors that are running through my veins. I… I have more power than I could ever dream of, Jer. Klaus will be weakened by the transition, and I know it’ll be enough to kill him, for good this time,” Bonnie explained, her eyes lovingly comforting her best friend’s brother, or rather her boyfriend.

“But what if that spell in the grimoire we found doesn’t work! There are too many things that could go wrong, Bonnie, please! Just think about this for a second!” Jeremy again tried to explain but was shut up by Bonnie’s index finger on his mouth.

Removing her hand gently, Jeremy coveted her head in his palms as he put his forehead to hers. “There’s so much that can go wrong… I don’t want to lose you _and_ Elena…”

“You won’t lose either of us, I’ll make sure of it,” Bonnie said with finality, slowly moving away towards the exit of the old cottage that housed the angry witches’ souls. Refusing to turn back as Jeremy’s body fell to the ground, Bonnie gave tepid acknowledgment to John before leaving for her car. “It’s now, or never…”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Stefan groaned; his body so very clearly incapacitated by the wooden stake that was mere centimeters away from his heart. The youngling vampire slowly turned over, letting out a labored breath as he heard the screams of who he realized were Elena and Jenna. How he could be so damn stupid to think he could do anything, boggled his now ironically clearer mind.

_“I’m here to make a deal, Klaus,” Stefan said, eyeing his girlfriend and her aunt in worry as he stood atop a hill not far from the ritual site._

_“And what could you, of all people in this world, offer to the likes of someone like me,” Klaus gloated, smirking widely._

_“Take me… take me as the vampire sacrifice,” Stefan said, closing his eyes in a futile attempt to ignore the loud pleas of Elena, most likely informed of the exchange by her now vampiric aunt._

_“No thank you, Salvatore. I quite like the symmetry of things at the moment. Three rings of hellfire, three goddesses, soon to be three abominations of nature… it’s all really quite poetic” Klaus informed Stefan._

_“Three… abominations?” Stefan asked, confused about Klaus’ machinations._

_“You’ll see,” Klaus said, before plunging a tree branch into his chest, relishing in the anguished screams of Elena at the foot of the hill._

Stefan moved his hand slowly to his chest, carefully plunging his fingers into the fibers of his flesh in order to move the branch far enough away from his heart. Despite the pain, he was able to safely move the branch far enough to allow him to extract it in one swift, albeit painful, pull. Free from all death-dealing objects on his persons, Stefan waited a moment for his regenerative vampire abilities to kick in, slowly knitting the wound and all its damage away into nothing.

Once he was healed, Stefan painstakingly got up to try and intervene to save his girlfriend in any way that he could. But, once he was cognizant of what was happening, Stefan was met with a shocking surprise as he witnessed the witch that had taken Elena, killing Klaus’ ritual casting witch. The splash of blood from her slit throat brought out a side of him that he had thought was long gone. The air was like cocaine to him, and he found himself subconsciously gravitating towards the largest pool of blood on the ground, his eyes baring a familiar veiny and dark look.

The young vampire was then pulled out of his blood-induced stupor by his girlfriend's screams of horror. Speeding his way to ring of fire surrounding her, Elena had given him a look of surprise, then worry, as they both looked to Jenna and then the scene of murder in front of them.

“Excellent! That’s how it’s done!” Klaus boasted, breaking the tension in the air with a gleeful chuckle. Winking at Jenna, the vampire sped towards the body of the witch formally known as Greta, and carelessly lifted her by the head. Shoving her slit throat to the cauldron, Klaus beckoned a clearly out-of-it Harry to come to him. After a fair amount of her blood was drained in, Klaus fished out the moonstone from within the bloody mixture. “Now, how about we really get this show on the road, love.”

Taking the blood-covered stone in his hand, Harry could feel the power vast emanating from it. He could feel some of the magic inside of it connected to Klaus, but he could also feel it tethered to somewhere else. Somewhere… not here… not anywhere on this plane of existence, a place beyond the living. Against his own will, Harry tightly held it in his hands, surging some of his magic into it.

“I think you should have enough power from those two; a werewolf heart, and a brutal death of a witch to empower the soil we are standing on,” Klaus whispered into his ear.

Nodding his head, Harry sat down as Klaus's eyes trailed his every movement. With one hand holding the bloodied stone, and the other on the ground, Harry began to chant a spell. “Finite Incantatem… Finite Incantatem… Finite Incantatem… Finite Incantatem…”

The stone began to glow profusely, and his hands began to burn where he held it. Cracks began to form as Harry’s chanting went on and the air was becoming filled with an oppressive mirth of magic that even the most normal human could feel. Realizing what was going on, the pair of Stefan and Elena tried to run to him but were both stopped by Klaus’ interception, the man wagging his fingers as if to scold the two as children.

Clicking his tongue, Klaus sped to the two of them, grabbing them and holding them above the ground in a chokehold. “I am too close right now for two idiots like yourselves to interfere.”

Throwing them harshly towards Jenna, the vampire in the pair was able to withstand the landing, while the doppelganger landed on the ground like a flimsy toy. Jenna ran to her niece, holding her unconscious form in her lap as Stefan sped to pour his blood into her mouth to heal her. The two watched on in horror as the thick waft of pure _power_ was filling the air, the more the boy chanted in Latin.

“Finite!” Harry screamed, the stone suddenly shattering in a spectacular display of light, throwing some of the occupants of the field, including the two bodies, away. The sky was lit as if on fire, the burnt orange and red shades of the lights ascending into the sky as if the apocalypse were occurring. At the epicenter of the magical typhoon was Harry, who could feel a pull at the very core of his being. He was being torn apart, or rather it felt very similar to it as if his very soul was being splinched from his body.

Overwhelmed by the storm, Harry wasn't even aware of the arms that held him, a soft comfort in the bevy of flames that scorched through his veins.

“Don’t forget to come back…” was the last thing he could hear before his vision blacked out, and the pain suddenly disappeared. He felt submerged in a sea of existence, it felt. And like emerging to the surface from underwater, when Harry was awake once more, his whole body was washed in an unknown sensation. Opening his eyes, Harry blinked a few times to reorient himself, until a pair of familiar whispers in his ear made him freeze up.

“Hello, son.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SOOOOOOOO, here we get to the cool shit. I know I said we'd move on past the ritual (at least I think, I never remember the notes between updates) but I always come to natural stopping points and I never want to ruin them, so I delay the inevitable all for the sake of cliffhangers! Next chapter *SHOULD* finally move past the ritual and start up the road trip from hell, but we shall see MWAHAHAHAHA!


	5. It’ll Be a Very Steep Price

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blood is shed, lives are lost, and destinies are fulfilled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of the beginning arc of this fic, and as such, I couldn't stop at just 3k-ish words! So, this is an extra-big chapter and covers the last bit of canon s2! 
> 
> That being said, there's a lot in this chapter that is very, very, VERY, canon divergent. From here on out, while the story beats may be similar, things are gonna start being out of wack and AU! I'm toying with the metaphysics of the TVD world, and a lot of it might not make sense now, but they will later on. 
> 
> For instance, the concept of Klaus hybridity is very different in my fic than what's in canon. While it may be the same as canon for sired wolves, being a hybrid for Klaus isn't *just* being a more durable wolf with vamp-perks, it's a lot more magical than that! Same with the Other Side! But, you'll have to read on to find those out!
> 
> Now, one final warning, there are some graphic scenes of slight gore/injuries and body horror! Be careful, I've marked them with **, so hope you can enjoy this chapter despite those if that's not your speed!
> 
> Anyway, on to the chapter!

_“How lonely you must be, my boy…” A faraway-sounding voice, as if it was being echoed from a farther distance than it actually was coming from, said as it watched over the young man putting on his clothing after a hasty tryst. The boy being observed took a long sigh, before looking back to his bed partner and giving him a soft smile. Stretching his back, the boy grabbed his wand and vanished from sight, leaving the room to his hook-up and the ghost that watched from behind a veil._

_“I miss you both. We may not have spent much time together, but I’d like to think that you’re both watching over me,” the boy said, enchanting a wreath onto the gravestones of both his parents. The boy looked sorrowful as the rain continued to pour around him and his umbrella spell. Unbeknownst to the boy, a spectral pair of figures watched on from behind the stones, looking lost, yet so focused on the boy._

“What… how are you both here?” Harry asked after a heavy moment of silence. The last time he had seen his parents were within the Mirror of Erised, lovingly holding him as he stood proud and lively. That had been so long ago, in another life even. They were warm back then, even if they were merely illusions; if had they stepped out of the mirror, they wouldn’t look any different than how they were amongst the living. But now? The Potters were a pair of stark white ghouls, skin sunken in and paperwhite. They looked sickly and malnourished, a far cry from the lively and jovial demeanors he had always been told they had. He could’ve easily mistaken them for Azkaban escapees, kissed one too many times by the Dementors; ghouls standing in the place his beloved parents should have been.

“You’ve done such a horrible thing, my boy,” His father said with a frown, reaching out to his dear baby boy. Harry flinched back, backing away as the apparition tried to touch him. Finding his footing, Harry stood up and tried to cast a spell with his wand, only to find that he did not have it on his persons. Flabbergasted by his missing magical instrument, Harry narrowed his eyes as he held his hand out to cast a wordless Protego.

“Why are you doing this, son? You’re helping such a bad man… we didn’t protect you to do something like this!” The ghoul of his mother wailed, her voice becoming more distorted as she became more hysterical. Her body language was uncannily twisting with each word, her eyes blown up with unnatural desperation. Limping over to Harry, the woman, formerly known as Lily Potter, absent-mindedly ran into his shield, acting as if it wasn't even there. Banging on the magic of it, Harry could feel a vague sense of sickness, a darkness that was unfamiliar to him. In time, his father, James, sauntered over to do the same. The couple was hysterically screaming, clawing at it like mindless Inferi trying to drag down a victim to their grave.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Disgusting, disgraceful, whore!”

“How dare you throw our sacrifice away to spread your legs for an abomination!”

“Enough!” Harry screamed, tears spilling from his eyes as he let out a powerful wave of magic, summoning the strongest Depulso he could muster, sending the ghouls flying away from him. “You aren’t my parents!”

**The ghouls remained laying on the hazy field, like puppets cut from a string. Harry took a deep sigh as he rubbed away the tears that had threatened to continue to fall, glaring at the direction he sent the ghouls flying. Casting a Lumos, Harry began to walk slowly in the same direction as the bodies. Making it to the place where they lay, Harry looked down to see them, holding down a rush of bile as he saw the decrepit state they were in. Unlike how they had been previously, the ghouls that lay before him were almost hypothermic-blue, their mouths agape yet no sign of tongues anywhere he could see. Their eyes were gouged out, no remains of the snow-white globes he had seen in their sockets only moments ago. Stepping over the hollow shells, Harry stood at the edge of the forest in the clearing.

Behind him, Harry watched as the field extended beyond where his eyes could see, an endless wasteland of lifeless foliage and mist. In front of him seemed to be a forest, but no leaves hung on the trees. There was a sense of death and loneliness emanating from it, a chill-inducing aura permeating the air. Harry steeled his nerves, taking a step forward into the forest. Following the same thread of magic that he had felt back with Klaus and the Moonstone, Harry allowed himself to be strung along until the thread stopped in a small clearing within the trees. Holding up his Lumos, Harry added more power to it to brighten the area.

“It seems the groveling dog is here to bite the chains of fate away.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Klaus looked down at the unconscious form of the wizard, smiling a bit as he could feel the magic unwind itself from his soul. The soon-to-be hybrid looked at the vermillion sky, chuckling to himself at the drama of it all. Laying the boy down gently, Klaus stood up and stretched his body, looking to the last three living occupants of the field, all watching anxiously.

“Well, you’re welcome! You all get to live a little longer,” Klaus said to them arrogantly, smirking at the confused yet angry faces of his now-former hostages.

“Perhaps you should put some smiles on your face-” Klaus tried to say before a seemingly fast gust of wind punted him from where he stood. Landing only slightly less gracefully, the hybrid angrily stared down the true source of his swift upheaval.

“I was wondering when you’d get here… brother,” Klaus ground out, eyeing the suited man as he readjusted his now slightly off-center tie. “Perhaps it was foolish of me to hope that your idiotic temper-tantrum was over after these last few decades.”

“Temper-tantrum? How dare you minimize my rightful wrath as a mere childish outburst!” Elijah shouted back, his eyes becoming dark and veiny. “Our… _m_ y family was stolen from me, one by one. I stood by as I watched you take them from me, under the delusion that what you were doing was for the good of us! How foolish of me to be angry at the _brat_ that thought himself a king!”

“It was for the good of us! They were liabilities, and you know why I couldn’t allow any of them to hinder us! Not with… regardless, I care not of how you feel about me. I’ll just make sure you join them!” Klaus said as he lunged with his vampire speed, knocking the other Original back a few meters as the two officially began their duel.

“How could you be so blasé about this! You threw our family into the damn ocean! Sealed them away from me forever!” Elijah grumbled as he went tit-for-tat with Klaus, exchanging blow for blow. Klaus, usually filled with snark and sarcasm, remained silent at Elijah’s latest spiel. “Oh? Are you finally realizing the horrid sin you committed? Speechless to the lambasting from your dear older brother?!”

“No, dear brother, I’ve merely grown tired of your tirade over a trite issue like this. Perhaps to sate your loneliness, I could send you to the same place I sent them! They do say misery loves company! And they’ll surely be much more misery in store for you!” Klaus angrily boasted between the hits that landed on him, and the ones he landed on Elijah. The two were dead even in their strength, each using the knowledge of each other procured over a millennium of company. They began to fight even dirtier as time went on, as the layers of brotherly conflict built up over centuries began to unfold. Ignorant to their audience, the Mikaelson brothers allowed their pent-up anger to flourish with each blow, rehashing the sins of the past over and over.

As the two fought with a scarlet sky as a backdrop, the two onlookers turned their attention to the now awoken form of the doppelganger in one of their laps.

“Elena!” They both said, watching as the girl regained consciousness. Stefan made his way to kneel down to her, giving her a hug as Jenna did the same.

“What… what’s going on? The last thing I remember is Klaus trying to kill… trying to kill Jenna, and then...” Elena asked the two.

“We… I have no clue. One moment he was going to kill Jenna, the next, his witch boy starts some fiery tornado in the middle of the field. After it went away and you were knocked out, Elijah came and now they’re fighting,” Stefan explained, even he himself confused at the chain of events that had just occurred moments ago.

“We need to take this chance and _run,”_ Jenna said seriously, helping her niece up easily.

“Wait… you two need to get out of here. Just because he didn’t sacrifice you doesn’t mean you’re in the clear yet! Go on ahead, I’ll make sure neither of them follows you guys!” Stefan said to the pair.

“No! No! No! Stefan please, you’ll-” Elena tried to plead before her aunt nodded to Stefan and forcibly sped the two of them away from the clearing. Stefan took a deep and shaky breath before turning to the battle at hand. Knowing his limits when it came to the much older and stronger vampires, Stefan instead set his sights on the witch-boy that had taken Elena in the first place. Speeding over to the unconscious boy, Stefan eyed his strangely gentle form. Kneeling to his level, Stefan listened closely and tried to track his heartbeat. It was slow and quiet, but it was definitely there.

“I don’t know who you are, but you took her from me… you helped Klaus… and yet...” He said, before turning into himself. He knew he couldn’t strike the boy down, not when he was laying here defenseless. It wasn't in his nature, not anymore, to hurt the defenseless. He knew his brother would accost him for being so idiotic and sentimental, but the boy, despite what he had done earlier, also seemingly saved Jenna and Elena from being sacrificed. And while he knew the werewolf Jules was the only death of the three, her past transgressions offered her minimal sympathy on his part.

Making up his mind, Stefan attempted to take the boy into his arms to spirit him away from Klaus. However, just as he was about to lay his hands on the boy, a swift gust of wind, or so it seemed, pushed him meters away. Speeding up to proper positioning, Stefan stared at a bloodied-up Klaus, Elijah slouched at his feet, seemingly impaled with a tree branch to his heart. While he knew it wasn’t permanent, Stefan began to realize he had just lost a much-needed ally in the fight to come.

“Sorry, pal, but I’m going to need you to take your hands off of my pretty little wizard,” Klaus said, all sarcasm and playfulness gone from his voice. All that remained was a serious gruff, and a tangible bloodlust on his face.

Stefan took a tiny step back, silently pocketing the way Klaus had called the boy a ‘wizard’ and ‘his’ into the corners of his mind not currently occupied by his flight or fight response. He looked to the _wizard_ in between them, and then back to Klaus. “You didn’t peg me the type to claim ownership over anyone, Klaus. Especially not a witch, considering how you treated Greta over there.”

“Well, Salvatore, that one right there is a very special _witch_ to _me_.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“I don’t think it’s proper to call someone a groveling dog when you don’t even know their name,” Harry glared down the woman in front of him, dressed in garb he’d thought long out of fashion with this side of the world. The woman, with long, braided, auburn hair, was reeking of dark magic; the same that wafted and threaded itself around the moonstone and Klaus. Harry planted his feet, guarding his frame in a defensive position.

“No, perhaps it is not. But, in my time, a mongrel like you would have been beaten and flogged on a wooden pole in the middle of a town. Helping such an abomination, especially with the power you hold, would have been enough to rightfully earn the ire of the first witch of my kind that laid eyes on you,” the mysterious woman said, walking slowly to the side as if she was a predator stalking its prey. She kept her eyes on him as she moved, smirking as Harry began to shift the other direction.

“Well, it’s a good thing we’re well past the dark ages. Now, if you’d kindly release the spell that you’re trying to desperately keep intact, I could leave you to wallow here,” Harry said cautiously, making sure to keep his eyes on her form.

“You don’t even know, do you? The influence that beast has over you, especially in this plane. Why are you even helping him,” the woman glared, grinding her teeth in contempt for this ‘beast’ she was speaking of.

“I- I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, lady. I’m here to-” Harry began to say before he realized the actual words that were leaving his mouth. Scrunching his forehead, Harry pondered why he was even in this place… why he was walking forward… why he was trying so hard to undo this curse… why…

But, in this moment of pause, the woman smirked, before flicking her wrist, magic erupting from her palms. “Reducam Enim Mortuus Est, Meus Mihi Pugna Homines!” (bring back the dead, fight for me my pawns!)

As the words left her mouth, they began to echo across the barren forest, whispers within the woods beginning to hum. Louder and louder they grew, surrounding the clearing. Harry was drawn from his stupor, a chill running down his spine as he felt the oppressive magic reaching far past his own body. Looking around, Harry cast a Protego around him, preparing for the worst.

“Harry… my sweet baby… why did you forsake us…”

“Harry, how could you…”

“Harry, you are a protector… not a murderer…”

“Harry…”

“Harry!”

The whispers began to contort and change, softness becoming barbed steel, longing becoming vengeance. Harry watched as, from the trees, figures began to emerge. Dressed in clothing from across all time periods, the beings that emerged were the same ghoul-like apparitions that took the form of his parents. Said pair was among them, their faces as distorted and _wrong_ as he had just seen them moments ago.

“This… this same trick won’t work on me twice, you bitch. I know those aren’t my parents… they’re demons, illusions, _not real,”_ Harry said with grit, glaring harsher than before at the woman, who merely stood in place as the beings seemed to follow her beck-and-call.

“Oh, but that is where you are so wrong, dear. This place… this is where people like you and me come when we die. A special Hell saved for us who dare break the chains of nature with our wills. Those two over there,” the woman gestured to the bastardized versions of Harry’s parents, “are the dearly beloved souls of your mother and father. Slain so young yet tortured with the guilt that they couldn’t raise you. Wallowing in the loneliness of this place, their negative emotions grew as did the hold this Other Side had on their souls. Filled with so much disgust at their son for abusing the gift of life they gave him, their souls couldn’t help but pervert, distorting the once pure vestiges with anger.”

Harry’s eyes widened, tears falling out as he listened to the cold retelling of his parents’ afterlife. He stood; all previous thoughts harshly pushed away as he was dealing with reconciling what the woman had just told him. The ghouls began to converge onto him, and for a brief moment, Harry considered dropping his shield, allowing the wraiths to consume his soul and damn him to this place forever. But, a voice in his head began to grow louder, echoing in his mind space.

“Don’t forget to come back…”

Klaus’ last words to him echoed even louder, giving him the kick he needed to knock those deadly thoughts away. Harry took this opportunity to charge magic in his hand, focusing as much contempt and anger towards the woman as he could. With one final look at his parents’ disgusting form, Harry looked to the woman.

“What is your name?” Harry asked simply, as the green energy in his hand began to glow an emerald green.

The woman’s smirk had dropped, a look of caution taking its place as she allowed some ghouls to stand in front of her. “Esther… Esther _Mikaelson_.”

“Well, Esther, I don’t take too kindly to horrid witches who try and take advantage of me, or my family. And, by the looks of it, your _son_ probably thought the same,” Harry glared, quickly putting together why he was being met with such resistance from the woman.

“That abomination is not my son!” Esther screamed, launching the ghouls at him.

“You asked why I was here, why I was even doing this for him… I… I may not be here of my own will… but I’m sure as hell going to follow through if it means screwing with _you,”_ Harry yelled, putting his glowing hand to the sky.

“Finite Incantatem!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“What did… what happened?” Jeremy asked hesitantly as John came to help the boy up. The Gilbert men walked silently as they both made their way to sit on the outside steps of the complex that they were hiding out in. The younger of the two was still reeling from being knocked out by Bonnie’s spell and was slowly coming to grips with the situation at hand.

“Bonnie made sure you wouldn’t have done something stupid,” John simply said, taking one short look to his nephew before looking out at the empty field. Said nephew in return glared at the side of the man’s head, hoping his ire would be enough to rouse any information from the secretive man.

“Why the fuck are you even here? You come here, fuck our lives up, hightail it out of here, and then you’re back and you want to help?” Jeremy growled at the man, trying to muster up as much of a menacing presence as he could.

“How do we even know that spell is gonna protect Elena? I wouldn’t put it past you to use her and Bonnie for some alt-” Jeremy tried to say before John quickly twisted his torso and raised his hand, slapping the teen harshly enough to knock his head in the other direction.

“Don't. You. Ever! Think that I won’t go to the ends of the Earth to protect my family. Elena, you… even Jenna, I’m here to make sure you are all safe. You can berate me, hate me, spit on the ground that I walk, but don’t _ever_ say I’m here to hurt you. This… this shit is so much bigger than you, your aunt, your sister… me… these are unnatural beings… forces of evil that are at play. And all of us? We’re defenseless in the grand scheme of things. What I do? The things you hate me for? They are to keep you safe from it all!” John ranted, his white skin turning a bright shade of red as he unleashed a torrent of unsaid frustrations onto the young Gilbert.

“I lost my wife! I lost my brother! I’m this close to losing Elena… They’ve taken so much from me… I won’t rest until they’re all dead, _that_ is something you can hold me to,” John said with finality, standing up to go back inside, leaving Jeremy to contemplate the words.

Taking a giant sigh, the boy took out his phone, crestfallen to see he hadn’t received any updates or confirmations of safety from his sister or his girlfriend. Unlocking his phone, the boy sent a quick text to both, with a simple message:

“Stay safe.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Klaus felt as if the world slowed down, watching the dark-haired wizard’s body in the quarry. He was sure that the spirits, witches, and other creatures alike, were none too pleased to have someone working on his behalf on the Other Side. It wasn’t in his nature to feel remorse or pity, but for some reason, the boy awakened these in him. There was something about the boy that made him… _curious._ Sure, he’d met plenty of powerful witches and warlocks, druids and shamans, spiritualists who were more than willing to break statute for a quick buck and the claim to fame of freeing him from his chains; but, none of them ever warranted more than a glacial smile and a quick signature on a check.

The boy was a true anomaly. The stories he’d picked up over the last two decades of a harrowing, noble savior, didn’t seem to match up with how the boy was delivered to him. He was reckless, mouthy, nihilistic even, in the way that he held himself. As if he had abandoned all pretenses of common sense long ago, and all that was left was pure instinct. Perhaps, that was it… the instinct the boy had, it reminded him of himself, and a long-lost companion of his. An inherent drive to power and greatness that so few people had in them. Not even his dear siblings could match up to that level of existence.

It was all so fascinating to him, and even in the moments where he was beating his dear brother for opposing him, he couldn’t help but have his mind wander to the wizard.

_“You monstrous, arrogant, sad excuse of a man! No… after all you’ve done, you are nothing but a beast lashing out at his owners,” Elijah goaded the hybrid. “You act as if I am not righteous in my quest to see your demise! You brought this upon yourself! You brought ruin to our family!”_

_“Is that it? Or are you going to whine more, brother? You are supposed to be the older of us, right?” Klaus sarcastically answered back, chuckling deeply as he saw the rage grow and bloom in Elijah’s normally stoic eyes._

_The fight continued on at the outskirts of the quarry, somewhat removed from the ritual grounds. Klaus knew he needed to wrap this up and retrieve his little wizard, but he needed an opportunity. A way to get Elijah to let his guard down, at least long enough for Klaus to incapacitate his sibling. As the two exchanged super-fast blows, an idea popped into his head. A rather tasteless idea, but Klaus had long since shed the need to keep tact when speaking to individuals who didn’t deserve his putting effort into._

_“Elijah… Why fight me? Don’t you want to see them?” Klaus said as the two got close while exchanging punches and kicks._

_“Don’t fool me, brother! I know you’ve hidden our family away deep within the ocean, untouchable to even me!” Elijah screamed, sending a particularly hard punch to Klaus’ skull, though the hybrid just barely dodged._

_“I lied! They’re here, I’ve hidden them somewhere safe! I promise to take you to them! You’ll never find them without me!” Klaus faux-pleaded, internally smirking as he finally saw the opportunity he needed. In the millisecond of consideration, of wondering if Klaus was telling the truth, Elijah failed to realize he had inadvertently created an opening of weakness. Taking advantage of this, Klaus broke off a nearby tree branch and quickly shoved it straight through Elijah’s heart. He knew it wouldn’t kill him, but he needed him out of the picture for as long as he could get._

_Once the pine branch pierced his heart, Elijah could feel the world slowly blinking out of existence, the last thing he saw being his brother’s devious smile and a whisper close to his ear._

_“Say hello to them, dear brother.”_

“So… you stabbed your own brother… just so you could, what? Make sure your ‘pretty little wizard’ was safe?” Stefan questioned, cautious of the hybrid in front of him.

“Something like that,” Klaus promptly snipped, smirking ever so slightly. He could feel the anxiousness wafting from the young vampire, much different than… another vampire he had once known. “But, it’s more so because I still need him to finish a job for me.”

“About that… why… why did you send him to spy on us? At the waterfalls… and, why did you send him to get Elena, when you could’ve done so? He seems a lot more important than an errand boy,” Stefan questioned.

Klaus merely smirked at the Salvatore. “Oh, he is, Salvatore… much more than even you can comprehend. But I had to test him a bit, see what he could do…”

Stefan perked up slightly at this, storing even more information in his head. “To see what you could _make_ him do, isn’t that right? That’s what he told us when he took Elena. That he was being compelled to do this.”

Klaus ground his teeth without showing much, not wanting Stefan to see the short instance of displeasure mar his air of intimidation. Their brief moment of silence was interrupted by a sharp screech, emanating from the body in between the two vampires. The hybrid then looked down at the boy, to which Stefan followed suit; both stopping their standoff to watch the boy’s body emanate power once again. Before either could blink, the other ran towards him, only to both be thrown back as a shock of magic sung through the air, its epicenter Harry himself. 

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry, in the next moment, awoke covered in sweat and dirt, his breathing uneven and harsh. The boy was practically panting, out of breath for a reason that was so close to the surface of his mind, on the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn’t remember in that exact second. That is until it all came crashing down. Visions of ghouls and vengeful witches plagued the forefront of his mind, eliciting a scream that rung through the almost empty quarry. In just seconds, the abnormally fiery sky receded into the bluish-white hue of the full moon night. The air was still supercharged with magic, but Harry could feel that even that was beginning to taper off as well. He looked around and saw Klaus, Elijah, and the vampire Stefan all scattered around him, laying on the ground. He tried to rise up but quickly fell back down to the ground as his legs gave out. Thankfully, a quick breeze ran to him, and looking up Harry was met with the smoldering gaze of the hybrid.

“Did it…” Klaus said to him, a whisper not too far from a lover’s sweet nothing.

“I- I think I did it… but, Klaus, you need-” Harry tried to say before he was unceremoniously dropped to the ground, a head-splitting migraine coming on. A loud buzzing filled his ears, and when Harry looked over, he saw that Klaus was in a similar state; although, the man’s creature status seemed to be to his benefit at handling the pain. He was kneeling next to him, seemingly growling out through what Harry realized was a mouth full of growing sharp teeth. His eyes widened, and even in his debilitated state, Harry shrunk back as Klaus let rip a monstrous roar. Said roar reverberated through the quarry, and with it, thousands of birds and animals began to try and make their way as far from their area as possible.

**Klaus began to exhibit more signs of change, as his eyes and brow began to not only turn black and veiny, but his irises had turned a striking gold. His fingernails began to elongate, and his back began to hunch in an unnatural way. His clothes began to shred and tear away, not being able to handle the rapid growth that was occurring. Klaus was becoming what so many had feared he would one day become, a beast.

Harry looked in fear, then, with adrenaline pumping through his veins, he tried to crawl away from Klaus. He didn’t know what the transformation would entail, and he didn’t want to risk getting mauled by a mindless beast. Unfortunately, his migraine had not subsided, and Harry was unable to drag himself for very long before his head felt as if he had received twenty simultaneous lobotomies at once. Harry felt tears prick his eyes, a long-buried fear of danger making its way to the surface. It had been so long since he had felt this helpless, and the feeling was very much not welcome.

Harry dared not look back at what kind of behemoth Klaus was becoming, but he was also too worn out to do anything about it. Thankfully, a hand snaked its way under his form and quickly lifted him up. Looking to see his rescuer, Harry was shocked to see Stefan Salvatore holding him. Sending a small smile before his migraine once again kicked in, Stefan lifted him bridal style and attempted to escape the quarry, and by extension Klaus.

“Why… why are you helping me?” Harry whispered as he watched the trees blur around him and the vampire holding him.

“I- it doesn’t matter… You turned him into that… _thing…_ you’re more of use to us alive, then dead,” Stefan tried to say nonchalantly through his labored breathing. Harry was silent, leaning his head against the vampire’s strong chest as he allowed himself to be carried away. He was too tired to retaliate or resist, and his magic was too depleted to try and Apparate away.

“I didn’t do that to him… it’s something that was in him… he’s not- not a normal vampire,” Harry said to Stefan as he felt the uneven ground move beneath the two of them. “Someone wanted him bound, and I- I unbound him.”

Stefan didn’t react, once again storing the information in the back of his mind. Right now, he needed to focus on survival and to get the only chance they had to deal with Klaus away from here.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Jenna! Jenna! Stop! Fucking stop!” Elena screamed as her aunt carried her away from the quarry, into the forest for cover. Hysterical over her boyfriend staying behind, Elena thrashed within Jenna’s hold. Although, thanks to her new vampire strength, Jenna was able to securely hold her.

“Listen, Elena… I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I do know that it wasn’t safe there. Stefan’s been a vampire way longer than I have, and I’m betting he’d be much better at defending himself and _you_ than I could,” Jenna said scathingly as they ran further into the forest, searching for shelter. Elena promptly shut her mouth, though her whimpering stayed.

Their momentary silence was broken in the next moment as a loud, behemoth-like roar came from behind them. The two women stopped instantly, Jenna setting Elena down to allow both of them to look back. Elena looked as if she would let out a wail of concern for her boyfriend, but Jenna sped to her and covered her mouth, shaking her head to indicate that silence was imperative. The doppelganger whimpered quietly, tears streaming down her face; she knew she couldn’t do anything, but the pain of knowing her boyfriend was in immediate danger tugged at her heart.

The two stayed in the same spot, waiting to see what would happen. The roar continued on for a minute straight before the sound completely vacated the air. They held their breaths, with Jenna using her newfound vampire hearing to listen in. All she could hear though was the cracking of bones and the shifting of dirt. Then, utter silence.

**Jenna held her breath again, trying to focus; one second, a fast breeze, the next… a rapid stomping of what seemed like a wolf. Heavy steps digging into the ground, the slobbering of a beast, the… _bloodlust_ … in the air. Before she could even turn her head to Elena and tell her to run, the source of those sounds pounced upon them, easily batting Jenna to the side, launching her into a tree back first and severing her spine, temporarily knocking out the fledgling vampire.

**“Jenna!” Elena screamed with primal fear, not even registering the beast was coming towards her. It was truly a beast, as there was nothing resembling a human left. It was a… bastardized, demonic even, form of a wolf. Where normal fur should have been was an almost mutated version, gnarled and looking as sharp as needles; where one set of teeth should have been, an almost shark-like muzzle was. It’s sized dwarfed Elena, and frankly the other werewolves she had borne witness to from Jules’ tribe. Its eyes… its eyes were golden, but the surrounding socket was full of veins.

**Elena finally realized that the beast, Klaus in his true form, was after her, and futilely tried to run. But it was for naught as Klaus caught up to her with ease, swiping down one of its paws and slicing her back. Elena flailed as she fell, letting out a scream of pain. “Help! Jenna! Stefan! Please, somebody help!”

The beast growled out a guttural snarl as if it was laughing at the predicament of the doppelganger. Elena looked back in horror, getting flashbacks to her last brush with death. She pleaded silently, though she knew only the beast could hear her. “Please… mom… dad… I’m scared… I don’t wanna die…”

But, before the beast could maul her, Elena could feel its immense weight lifted off of her body. She let out a pained yelp as a hand was placed onto her body. Following the hand to the owner of the arm, Elena once again let out a sob as she was in the company of one of her best friends.

“Bonnie!” Elena cried out, tears streaming down her face, too overcome with adrenaline to feel the pain in her chest as she practically leaped up to a sitting position and hugged her witch friend.

Said witch hugged her back gently, soothing her with a soft hand to her back. “It’s ok, Elena… I’m here now… I’m gonna kill this fucker!”

With her profession of confidence, Bonnie laid the injured girl down gently, before allowing more magic to pour into her body. Walking slowly towards the beastly Klaus, Bonnie held out her hand, sending out a flare of magic to knock him back even further. The magic was laced with intent; the intent to weaken, the intent to exact revenge. As she cast spell after spell, Klaus was slowly ripped from his hybrid form, his beastly roars turning into more pained human screams. Bonnie smiled, launching one final spell to release him from his beastly form. Groveling on the ground, Klaus glared at the witch as he took in labored breaths.

“Any last words?” Bonnie sneered, readying the power of one-hundred dead witches in her hands.

“Stupid… little… girl…” Klaus ground out, sending one last arrogant smile.

“ _Infero Eseri Gratas, Disasustos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Victamas Veras. Phasmatos Tribum, Niha Sue Exilum, Disasustos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Levam, Mina Sue Te, Disasustos Vom, Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te. Phasmatos Veras. Fes Matos Tribum, Mas Pro Tes Unum. Victas Ex Melam, Phasmatos Vanem. Mas Pro Je Ta Sue Te!”_

Klaus screamed out, suffering from the power of the vindictive witches burning through his veins. Bonnie continued to chant, her veins becoming black and full of a power far beyond herself.

“This is it, _abomination_ ,” Bonnie said, her voice becoming distorted, overlaid with the voices of the hundred witches empowering her. “No more!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry and Stefan stood still, hearing and feeling the eruption of carnage and magic happening at the other end of the quarry. Harry made a move to stand on his own, with Stefan too distracted to do anything but help him. The wizard took a shaky step forward, feeling the rancid magic permeating the air of the land around them.

“He’s… Klaus is in trouble,” Harry said, subconsciously moving towards the direction of the fighting. Before he could take another step, Stefan came out of his stupor and sped in front of him, blocking Harry from moving any further.

“I can’t risk you doing something that will ruin our plans. Klaus being dead means you’re free from his compulsion! Don’t make me hurt you!” Stefan pled to Harry; however, it seemed as though the boy once again was on autopilot, his eyes glazed over.

“Have… to… protect…” Harry brokenly said, using some of the magic in the air to power an Apparation. But, before he could teleport to Klaus, Stefan launched himself forward, causing him to be dragged along as well.

Landing on the bloodied clearing of the fight, Harry landed somewhat gracefully, while Stefan was thrown a bit, getting knocked out once more from being exposed to the rudimentary Apparation. Making his way to Klaus, Harry was confronted with Bonnie, her eyes fully black as he felt the magic in the ground and air pooling around her.

“Stop right there, wizard!” Bonnie’s distorted voice yelled out, not even bothering to turn from Klaus’ weakened form. “You will be free in a moment, so stand back! _We_ won’t hesitate to end you if you interfere!”

“Klaus…” Harry mumbled to himself, taking a step forward despite the warning he received. Bonnie snapped her neck towards him, momentarily alleviating the pain-inflicting spell on Klaus. Narrowing her gaze, the witch took a step towards Harry and gathered magic in her hands.

“This is your last chance, wizard!” Bonnie yelled. Ignoring her, Harry tilted his head, looking at the state of Klaus, to which the hybrid looked at him almost pathetically. Before he could move, Bonnie took initiative, launch a spell at him, knocking him to his knees in pain. Hunched over, Harry felt as if a thousand lashes were being dealt upon his head.

Letting out a pained gasp, Harry was hunched over, trying to protect himself fruitlessly from the powered Bonnie’s spell. “Stop… stop it… no… no more… I don’t wanna hurt anymore…”

Bonnie deemed his pleas pointless, arching a brow before releasing the spell, smirking as Harry fell forward. She turned her head back to Klaus but was shocked to see the hybrid was gone. Swiveling her head to find him, Bonnie frantically placed a barrier spell around her. She looked at Jenna and did not see the man. She then looked to Stefan’s prone form and still did not see him. Turning to Elena, Bonnie feared the worst, but still, she did not see the hybrid.

“A hundred witch spirits at your beck-and-call, yet still as foolish as a little girl,” Klaus finally said, turning his head from Harry’s bloodied neck, biting into his wrist to feed Harry in return. Before Bonnie could cast another spell, Klaus sped both Harry and him from her line of sight.

“Time is running out for you, little witch. How long till they ask for their boon?” Klaus said from somewhere unidentifiable. Bonnie narrowed her eyes, the whispers of the witches obscuring her from most rational thought beyond exacting the spirits’ revenge. She was drunk on power, and while she knew the risks, she was willing to take it to see her friends’ permanent safety.

“You won’t veer _us_ from our mission. Come out of hiding, beast, before we level the forest onto you!” Bonnie yelled, though now her voice was becoming consumed by the others. She looked around, her breathing starting to become harsher as the magic was beginning to burn her veins.

“Stefan!” Elena screamed from behind her, and when Bonnie turned to the vampire’s direction, she saw Klaus and Harry near his still unconscious form.

“No!” Bonnie screamed, unable to cast any spells at them before Harry Apparated the trio away. As the light of the full moon shown onto the now more barren clearing, the whispers of the witches reached a fever pitch, and Bonnie clutched her now bleeding ears as she collapsed onto the ground. Elena ran to her best friend and desperately called out for someone to save them.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Well, shit,” Damon muttered through his labored breathing. The vampire had, against his better judgment, stayed in Alaric’s apartment with Katherine to wait and see if Klaus or the wizard would return. He knew he was banking on borrowed time with Tyler’s werewolf bite slowly eating away at his constitution, but he had to make sure their plan had worked. Unfortunately, with the landing of Klaus and Harry, with the surprise guest of his brother, the wild-child Salvatore knew their plan had been botched.

“Ah! I see you’re still here, Damon!” Klaus boasted, not even caring to help Harry as he took shaky steps to sit in the wooden chair across from him or to help Stefan who was only just coming back to from being knocked out. “And Katerina as well!”

“What’s… got you in a chipper mood, douchebag?” Damon taunted, but scowled, as he saw it did not get a rise out of the hybrid. Said man slowly sauntered his way to the prone form of Damon, lowering himself to see eye to eye.

“Well, your little gorilla assault with the Bennett witch didn’t work, seeing as I’m still here,” Klaus said, chuckling at the glare he received from the younger vampire.

“Well, you can never rely on people to do the work you need them to do,” Damon said, shifting his eyes to Katherine, which earned him a light glare from the runaway vampire.

“Quite right! For example, poor Greta was just too out of her depth to handle the whole ritual, so I had dear Harry do it instead!” Klaus said, gesturing to Harry who was just coming back to full consciousness. The wizard raised his head to look in their direction, before shaking it a bit to try and reconstitute his thoughts.

“What… what did you make me do?” Harry finally said, causing the undead occupants of the room to look at him with varying degrees of interest. Damon narrowed his eyes, still holding his involvement with Elena’s capture against him. Katherine was stone-faced, and Klaus looked at him with amusement.

“Nothing you didn’t want to do, or rather, nothing I didn’t want you to,” Klaus jested, inciting anger in Harry’s tired eyes. The wizard stood up suddenly, using his sudden burst of adrenaline to cross the room and slap the hybrid as hard as he could. Though, with Klaus’ newfound strength, it was more like a gentle tap than a slap. Still, Klaus rubbed the side of his face.

“You arrogant, egotistical, arse! You have no right to control my mind!” Harry yelled at him, not paying attention to the other people in the room.

“How dare you make me… you made me _kill_ someone! You made me do something…” Harry struggled through his rant, tears threatening to leave his eyes. Klaus allowed the wizard to let off steam, frowning at the tears in his eyes. “You… you got what you wanted… let me go…”

“I can’t do that love… not yet,” Klaus said seriously.

“Cut the fucking melodramatic soapy bullshit!” Damon grunted out angrily from his position on the couch.

Klaus turned to the vampire before speeding to the man. However, the now conscious Stefan intercepted him. Said vampire took the moment of surprise to try and push Klaus away, though only succeeding in stopping him. The conflict drew the attention of the other vampire, with Katherine standing up.

Klaus stood still, before letting out a laugh. “What were you planning to do? Three versus one? I’m older than all of you combined, and I’m not just a vampire anymore! Besides, shouldn’t you be sitting like a pretty doll over there, Katerina?”

Katherine stiffened up, knowing she had been found out.

“I can smell the vervain in your system. Before, I had just assumed you’d connive your way into getting some, but now I can truly tell. Naughty, naughty!” Klaus said, speeding up to the girl. She staggered back, holding her breath. “You have a choice, right now, Katerina.”

“… and what is it?” Katherine cautiously said, earning a devilish smirk from Klaus. 

“You can stay and help the Salvatore brothers out, perhaps even give them a fighting chance at making me break a sweat,” Klaus said, “or… you can get a head start before I tear-”

Before he could even finish his threat, the ever-on-the-run vampire sped out of the apartment, not even sparing a glance at the even more deflated Stefan.

“She lasted a bit longer than I thought she would. Had this been years ago, she would’ve run the second I uttered my first word,” Klaus said, before turning back to the brothers.

Tilting his head, Klaus took a sniff and smirked. Stefan drew his brows together, before looking back to Damon. It was then that Stefan finally took in just how disheveled and out of it his brother had looked. Turning back to Klaus, Stefan inhaled a sharp breath before turning his head to Harry, who looked in confusion.

“Nasty thing werewolf bites are for vampires…” Klaus finally said, causing Harry’s eyes to widen as he understood the gravity of the situation.

“Damon-” Stefan tried to say, but his voice was caught in his throat.

Damon gave a pathetic smirk, before coughing a bit of blood up. “There’s no way to cure shit like this, brother… it’s better to just get the pleasantries and pity out of the way before I go all crazy and Klaus tears my heart out to save wizard boy over there.”

Harry looked on with sympathy, before turning to Klaus and seeing the slight smile on his face. Making his way over to the hybrid, Harry futilely tried to grab onto the man’s last shreds of clothing, just now becoming aware of the man’s lack of cover-up.

“You know something, don’t you!” Harry accused, “maniacs on power-trips don’t look that pleased with themselves unless they know something important!”

“Astute observation… but, what makes you think I know… of a cure,” Klaus said, causing Stefan to perk up at him.

“Enough bullshit! You’ve got what you wanted! Give him _something_!” Harry pleaded on Stefan’s behalf.

Klaus raised an eyebrow, before turning to the standing Salvatore. “What will you give me?”

“He’s… my brother, please… anything that can…” Stefan said quietly.

“God, Stefan! Don’t fucking grovel for a shithead like me… it’s not worth-” Damon said weakly.

“Shut the fuck up, Damon!” Stefan shouted unexpectedly.

Klaus looked on in curiosity before he beckoned over to the kitchen. “Over there, love.”

Looking towards the counter, Harry Accio’d the cup that Klaus was pointing at, then handed the glassware to the man. Biting his wrist, Klaus drained the pouring blood into it, before gesturing to Stefan to come and get it.

“My blood is the cure,” Klaus said, retracting the glass as Stefan tried to grab it, “so, I hope you realize it’ll be a very steep price you’ll have to pay.”

Stefan didn’t say a word and grabbed the glass, kneeling down to force-feed the barely resistant Damon. As the blood ran down his throat, the sickly veins emanating from his wound began to dissipate, as the wound itself foamed up and began to heal as any normal wound on a vampire would. Harry looked in momentary fascination before meeting eyes with Klaus. Harry had hoped his unsaid judgment was very clearly being projected to the hybrid.

As the two stared each other down, Stefan whispered closely into Damon’s ears, “she’s alive.”

Damon had let out one final exasperated breath before falling unconscious. Stefan threw the glass to the side, shattering it on the floor. Looking back up at Klaus, Stefan glared hard.

“What now?” Stefan simply asked.

“Now? I think it’s time Harry rests,” Klaus said, causing Harry to quickly lose consciousness and fall into his arms. Stefan stiffened a bit, silently watching as Klaus carefully laid the boy down.

“You compelled him to follow _all_ of your little commands?” Stefan asked as the man moseyed his way into Stefan’s personal space.

“Not all… just some things I needed to keep him in check,” Klaus simply said, before harshly grabbing Stefan’s chin between his two now clawed fingers. “Just as you’ll be needing to be kept in check.” Klaus’ pupils began to dilate, and Stefan was no match for the power of the hybrid’s compulsion.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

As the sun had shown on Damon’s face, the now recovered vampire growled at the visual disturbance to his pleasant dream.

“Shit!” Damon said, quickly bolting up from the couch as the memories of the night rammed back into his brain. Elena was alive, but their plan hadn’t worked. He had gotten himself bitten, but he wasn’t dead… he was…

“No, no, no!” Damon said, vampire-speeding around to search for his brother. The futile effort had apparently roused Alaric’s neighbor, who had yelled from behind his closed door to ‘shut the fuck up!’

“Stefan, you fucking idiot!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Bonnie? Please wake up… I’m so sorry… we should’ve kept you out of this… I- I don’t want to lose you…” Jeremy whispered to the unconscious witch in the hospital bed. Over his shoulder, Caroline and an adjusting Jenna were watching over the both of them. Outside, Elena and Alaric were discussing the awry outcome of their plans.

“How could this have happened…” Elena said teary-eyed to Alaric. The hunter merely ground his jaw, before embracing her in a hug.

“We’ll find him… we’ll get him back, and Bonnie will be fine…” Alaric said into her hair, though at the moment, he couldn’t tell if he was comforting Elena, or trying to convince her _and_ himself. 

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Where are we headed?” Stefan asked from the backseat of the vintage car. He, in his attempt to seem unphased, was absentmindedly looking out the window, watching the trees pass as he focused on the soft breaths of the boy whose head was in his lap.

Much of last night, and the things Klaus had inflicted upon him via compulsion, were foggy at best in his memory bank. All he knew was that the three of them were headed outside of Mystic Falls. He had no idea why Klaus wanted to bring along the wizard and him. Though, perhaps the hazy flashes of dancing and drinking, lavish decorations, and floozy women, held a clue to what was truly going on.

“We’re going to visit some family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SOOOOOOO, what did you think? This is sorta the season finale of s2, so the next few chapters will be the road trip!!! But, fair warning, I'll be taking several liberties with what happens, and there will be a lot of canon divergence from here onward! There will also be some... steamy scenes in the next few chapters... hehe... 
> 
> Also, I was rewatching s3 to refresh my memory, and I already came up with the love confession scene! o_0 Anyway, enjoy your day/night! And look forward to the next chapter!


	6. I Didn’t Realize You Had It In You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus, now a full-blooded hybrid, seeks to fulfill a life long mission; one that is, for now, unknown to his two new companions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A reasonable time between updates? What is this? 2018 me? Anyway, yeah, I got really inspired to start off this arc of things, so I ended up writing this pretty quick! It's a cool chapter, I guess one could consider it filler, since there isn't much heavy plot or action, but it does inform some of the story points that will be going forward. Particularly dealing with... let's say steamy sexy times between Harry and a vampire (but which one gets a taste of wizard ass first? you'll have to wait and see!)
> 
> And like I said last chapter, things are gonna be different from canon. Reasons for things, paths to certain story points, etc. will all be subject to my whims. While it may seem like I'm just embellishing canon right now, I promise it deviates much more later on!
> 
> So, without further ado, chapter 6! And as always, enjoy!

“Take it easy, Bonnie. You just got released from the hospital today!” Jeremy cooed, mother-henning his girlfriend as he walked her into her home, supporting her. For Bonnie, the sentiment, and the niceties, were a pleasant change from the cold and sterile environment of the hospital. Spending almost a month in there with her only contact with the outside world being Jeremy, Elena, and Caroline, Bonnie was ready to spread her metaphorical wings and enjoy the clean air. The events of the past few months had weighed heavily on her chest. Despite her hospitalization, she wasn't blind to the pained look Elena always had whenever she saw Caroline and Tyler, or her and Jeremy.

Speaking of, said Gilbert was among the welcoming party stationed at her house. She had expected it, considering the number of times they had done this for each other over the years. Whether it be the passing of Elena’s parents, to her Grams passing, to Caroline’s transition into the undead, the three girls were unshakable in their love and trust of one another. But, now that they were older, boys had to come into the picture at some point. For Caroline, Tyler had tagged along with like a lost puppy, the irony of that not being lost on anyone but the two. Bonnie had Jeremy, who had been a constant presence for her in the wake of their failed attempt at Klaus’ life. And for Elena… while she had the support of Matt, Alaric, and Jeremy, the doppelganger seemed to be gravitating towards the older Salvatore as of late, much to the chagrin of pretty much everyone in the room.

Their mutual desire to bring Stefan back, especially with what they had found out Stefan had done for Damon, drew them closer together. And even in her own ignorance, Caroline was never afraid to point that out to the girl, much to her embarrassment and vehement denial.

So, when she saw their motley crew of Elena, Caroline, Tyler, and Matt all there, waiting for her safe return, she teared up. Of all the Hell they had been through, these moments, where things weren't revolving around a maniac hybrid, were things she treasured greatly.

“Surprise!” the group said, all holding up signs and balloons. The witch smiled wide, and with Jeremy’s support, she walked forward, not even realizing the ghoulish being standing behind her.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The roads were surprisingly dark for the hour, especially during the summer. Dusk settling in this early would’ve been touted as an omen back where he was from. Perhaps it was the spirits that were following them, trying to incite as much misfortune upon them as possible. Harry wondered all these things as he sat in silence in the back of the car. For the past two months, they’d been on the road, tracking whatever it was that Klaus wanted. It was getting irritating now, more so than it already was. One day in Tennessee, the next back in Virginia, then all the way to New York. Worst of all, having to deal with the moodiness of Stefan Salvatore was grating on Harry’s wellbeing.

At first, he had appreciated the small shows of support whenever Klaus would get upset and take it out on them, but as the days went by, he’d been acting as if someone had pissed in his blood. And even worse, dealing with his newfound addiction was increasingly aggravating _and_ dangerous for him. Not even a week after Klaus had force-fed him a potential assaulter, had the three of them not stepped in at a bar in Memphis, had Stefan attempted to tear his throat out in his sleep. Thankfully, Klaus stepped in and curbed his appetite with a spare blood bag, but the vampire’s lack of control was starting to get worse.

He had explained to Harry that he used to be… a bit of a Jack-the-Ripper type in his early years as a vampire. Harry knew from his DADA lessons that young vampires did struggle with bloodlust, especially non-wizard ones that lacked access to the magical resource’s wizard-vampires had created for themselves, but what Stefan was describing sounded… a lot worse. Harry knew _Klaus_ knew something, but he kept his mouth shut and never brought it up for the sake of not activating Stefan’s irritatingly sensitive maim-the-nearest-warm-body switch.

Speaking of, their latest stop had them _back_ in Tennessee, where Klaus had prodded the bear and let Stefan loose on a couple of women. It was a gruesome sight if the screams he could hear from the car were any indication. Harry had opted to stay away from their little… feeding times; he had been forced to attend them at first, but after an incident where a victim had screamed bloody murder at him for allowing this, Klaus had thankfully realized it wouldn’t be too healthy to allow Harry stay. So, being bound to the car was a common occurrence. He felt like he was a grade-schooler once again, even down to the obnoxious asshole keeping him trapped in an enclosed space.

Said asshole seemed to have a read on Harry’s thoughts, for as soon as he thought of the man, he appeared and entered the driver’s seat of the car.

“Did… you find anything useful there? Or are you just letting Stefan kill people for shits-and-giggles?” Harry grunted, trying to act as if he wasn’t mortified by the blood that had caked on the annoyingly attractive man’s face. The hybrid smiled back to him, before putting the keys and starting up the car. After about ten minutes, Stefan had returned from the house, completely soaked, and caked in the essence of his victims. He climbed in the car in silence, almost as if he was coming down from a drug high. While he was silent as they drove off, Harry could tell from the months that they had spent together, he was crashing down, _hard._

“I’ve finally found what I was looking for, little wizard. We’ll be heading to a little bar off the highway,” Klaus finally said, heading towards the hotel they were staying in. The three of them had stayed silent during the drive back, as was the custom they had going on. Though, Klaus’ arrogant smirk was loud enough to fill the space.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

After a bit of compulsion on the manager after she almost screamed her head off from seeing Stefan’s form, the three went into their respective room. Klaus had excused himself, citing a few phone calls he needed to make, which left Harry to pick up the pieces before Stefan’s inevitable freak out.

Sighing, Harry ran his hand through his hair as he threw his jacket onto the chair at his side, before rolling up his sleeves. “Let’s get you cleaned up before it stains the carpet…”

Stefan robotically nodded his head, allowing Harry to guide him to the cheap hotel bathroom. Spelling his clothes away, save for his underwear, Harry pushed his down into a sitting position, turning his head away for a moment to let out a cough and cover up his blush. Turning on the showerhead, Harry gave Stefan a moment to get soaked under the cold water. Accio’ing a towel and soap from the vanity, Harry took to slowly soap it up and scrub the nearest body part to him. This meant that he began to scrub the vampire’s arm, slowly going in circles to impose as much comfort as he could.

“You don’t have to clean me up… I should be the one who cleans up… I’m the one who did it anyway,” Stefan mumbled, turning his head to Harry, which happened to be startlingly close due to his washing. Harry’s face heated up, and he turned away, under the guise to get more soap. Wringing out the now red towel, Harry continued his ministrations.

“If I’ve learned anything from my time dealing with self-deprecating and defeated men, it’s that any human contact bodes well for their emotional stability. Granted, none of them had… addictions to blood, but still… talking to someone won’t hurt anybody,” Harry said, moving on to the man’s muscular chest. “Besides, if I wanted to just get you cleaned, I could use a spell on you to get rid of this all. This is more for you than it is for me.”

“Still, you’re doing so damn much, and I repay you by almost tearing you’re head off,” Stefan let out, laying his head back as he tried fruitlessly to enjoy the calming hands on his body.

“I’ll take well-meaning murder vampires over conniving, self-serving ones any day of the week,” Harry said, offering a weak smile at the tease towards Klaus, and even Sanguini, the vampire that had landed him squarely in the lap of the world’s most infuriating creature. Stefan had taken to the jest with an even weaker smile.

“I know… you’d rather me be someone completely different, but since we’re stuck with the arse, for now, it would be better for the both of us if we spoke a little more, you know?” Harry said, leaning further over the edge of the tub to get to Stefan’s other side. Unfortunately for Harry’s clothing, Stefan felt it was an apt moment to pull him close to his body, earning a yelp as he felt the cold shower pour onto his body.

“Stefan, what the-” Harry tried to say, before the vampire bit into his own wrist and offered it to Harry. Said wizard gaped at him before the vampire used his still bloodied hand to lift Harry’s _bruised_ wrist.

“From that guy in Covington, right? You never told Klaus he tried to break your arm trying to run… from me,” Stefan said matter-of-factly, once again raising his wrist.

“It wasn't that important, besides, the less Klaus can hold over my head, the better,” Harry said to the side, as Stefan used his hand to tilt Harry’s face toward his wrist. The wizard gave him a small smile, pressing his lips and gently sucking the surprisingly warm liquid. Stefan had taken a deep breath through his nose, turning his head away from the sight of Harry on his wrist.

After taking in a fair amount of blood, Harry came off of his wrist and gave out a little chuckle. Stefan, noticing a small spec of blood on the side of his lips, used his thumb to attempt to wipe it off. Trailing his appendage across Harry’s soft lips, Stefan swiped the stain off, leaving Harry’s skin once again pristine.

“I usually wait for the fourth date before guys start cleaning me up,” Harry jokes, lightening the steamy mood, “but… thanks for caring.”

“As you said, we both have to deal with Klaus, might as well stick together,” Stefan smirked, causing Harry to blush, though he hoped the water pouring onto the both of them would cover it up.

“You didn’t have to take it so literally, though. Now my clothes are all soaked,” Harry said, extracting himself from the vampire and leaning back down onto the tile of the bathroom. Stefan leaned forward to turn off the water, and then leaned on the edge of the tub, his arms crossed.

“Just spell them dry?” Stefan sarcastically asked, earning a playful glare from Harry. Reaching for his wand, Harry waved it over himself to dry. Raising an eyebrow, Stefan looked at him expectantly, causing Harry to let out a giggle. Twisting to Stefan’s bloodied up clothes, Harry pointed his wand at them and cast a Tergeo on them to remove the blood.

“Did I miss all the fun?” an annoyingly gleeful voice said from the door of the bathroom, to which both occupants froze and turned their heads towards. Klaus was leaning against the door frame, hungrily looking at Harry’s lax position on the floor. To this, Stefan glared, while Harry looked away.

“What do you want, Klaus?” Harry whispered, not bothering to raise his voice and expend the effort.

The hybrid smiled, before entering the bathroom to lift Harry off the ground, much to the wizard’s annoyance. “I’ve found the ever-elusive Ray Sutton! Turns out our dear werewolf friend really does frequent the bar we were informed of!” The two glared silently, Harry more so as he was still embarrassingly in Klaus’ arms.

“We’ll be leaving in an hour, so get ready boys!” Klaus said as let Harry stand on his own before vamp-speeding out of the hotel room. The two were once again left alone and gave each other worried looks. After an hour had passed and Stefan had put his clothes back on, with Harry in the bedroom and avoiding watching him get dressed, the pair met with Klaus, getting in as he revved the engine

“Maybe you should just tell us why the fuck you’ve been dragging us around the eastern seaboard?” Stefan callously asked after their trip had gone on for a while, broodingly looking outside the car window. It seemed as though it was his favorite thing to do during car rides, a fact that Harry would absolutely love not to admit that he’d noticed. Stefan let out a gruff breath of air as Klaus seemingly ignored his question.

“Not the time for answers that complicated, Stefan! You’ll see when we get there!” Klaus finally answered, taking a turn onto the beaten road that would lead to the bar. “And Harry, love? I’m going to need you to participate this time!”

Harry bit his lip, knowing his mind wouldn’t be able to resist the command. In the first month since his captivity with the two vampires, Harry had found that since the ritual, he’d been even more vulnerable to Klaus’ compulsions. In the times that Klaus had left him and Stefan to their own devices, they had tried to theorize what Klaus had put into their heads, but they weren’t able to remember much. They’d figured it had to do with Klaus as well, but they weren’t too sure. Still, it pained Harry to know that he could end up hurting… or even killing… more people on behalf of Klaus.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

When they arrived at the shabby bar, Klaus had taken to act like the dick he was, treating Harry like some esteemed guest, all just to mock him and his plight. Harry gave him a glare as he entered the bar with Stefan at his side, Klaus rounding out their troop. Said hybrid went to the bar to sit next to the man Harry assumed was Ray. He felt bad for the man, at least he and Stefan had the luxury of being on Klaus’ relatively good side. This guy? He probably didn’t have much longer if Klaus was after him.

Harry decided to bide his time at the pool bar, though he only went there because Stefan had also taken residency there. “How long do you think he has?”

“I give him an hour, maybe two,” Stefan said with a smirk, throwing tact to the wind as he morbidly joked about the fate of the werewolf.

“Merlin… how the hell did we end up like this? Joking about someone’s death…” Harry said, frowning deeply after realizing how they’d been talking. He swiftly turned away from the bar, placing his hands on the pool table. Looking at the wizard’s hunched posture, Stefan took the moment to compel a pool stick from an unsuspecting bar-goer. Taking the stick from the guy, Stefan turned back to Harry.

“Wanna play?” Stefan asked, raising an eyebrow at the confused look Harry gave him. Stalking forward, Stefan shoed him to the side before bending over to aim at the cue ball. Without looking at it, and winking to Harry, Stefan hit the ball, shooting it toward the cluster of balls at the other end of the pool table, sinking them all into the pockets.

“Impressive,” Harry said, giving the vampire a timid smile, “but I’d have to decline. I don’t know how to play.”

“How do you not know how to play pool?” Stefan asked sarcastically.

“Never taught. I didn’t have a dad around to show me, none of my friends had any idea about anything that wasn’t a part of our world, and well… none of my boy toys stayed long enough to show me,” Harry said back.

“Boy toys? And here I thought you were the paragon of chastity,” Stefan sarcastically replied, earning a chuckle from Harry. “Here, let me show you how to-”

Stefan tried to say before Klaus beckoned him towards the bar with a knowing call. Steering his eyes towards where Stefan was facing, Harry frowned as he saw Klaus curling his fingers toward him. Stefan gave Harry a disconcerting look, before following the order and going to the bar.

“Well, Ray, this is my friend Stefan! Stefan, let me introduce you to the most elusive _werewolf_ this side of the Appalachians!” Klaus boasted, earning a look from several of the bar-goers. Ray glared at Klaus, slamming down his drink, and attempting to escape. Unfortunately, Stefan had blocked his way, assuming Klaus had called him for some backup. “Sorry, mate. But you can’t leave just yet, we have a lot to talk about.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Elena! Where the hell have you been? We have plans to make! Schedules to keep! Parties to prepare for!” Caroline yelped as she caught up to Elena, who had been trying to take a calm walk around the town square. “Listen, Jenna is coming with Ric, and Bonnie and Jeremy are going too! So, just come with like-”

“Car’, I appreciate the attempts to lift my spirits, but I really just want to focus on other things right now!” Elena said mutedly to Caroline, her thoughts obviously focused somewhere else.

“No, no, no! You will not be moping and acting like the restless dame waiting for her husband to return from war! It’s your eighteenth birthday! You and Bonnie are the only two of us who actually get to have one of these! I refuse to let you spend it going all Nancy Drew on Stefan!” Caroline said, not even bothering to sugarcoat her annoyance with Elena’s pity party. She had moved on from dying and promptly becoming undead rather quickly, so why couldn’t Elena get over her boyfriend skipping town with an evil hybrid and his witch henchman?!

“Car’! Seriously, uncalled for!” Elena said, biting her lip. She looked around the square, to the few eyes that bore into the pair. Mystic Falls was a small and insolated enough town where everyone generally knew everyone, which meant that gossip was rampant when anything out of the ordinary happened. She knew there were those who had noticed Stefan’s absence, and to that, she had noticed their stares when she was out with Damon. She knew the elder Salvatore had feelings for her, and she wasn’t blind to the way he had been acting towards her since his brother’s departure. She wouldn’t call it mutual attraction, but things went far beyond his playboy ways. He had kept her up to date, or at least she had hoped, on tracking Stefan. Her summer had been pretty much spent brainstorming with Damon while avoiding everyone and anyone that wasn't conducive to their effort.

“Listen, Elena, I love you. I love you so much! But please, for once, stop focusing on your boyfriend and pay attention to the people who are still here!” Caroline finally said while turning her back to Elena, about to walk away; but she stopped before turning back and shoving an envelope into her hands. “Here’s an invitation to _your_ party! Maybe you should come!”

Elena looked at the decorated piece of parchment inside the envelope, letting out a sigh, ready to go throw it into the trash before she ran straight into a much taller body than hers.

“Careful, Elena. Stefan wouldn’t like his girl all up in his brother’s grill. Granted… said brother definitely doesn’t mind,” Damon said playfully, chuckling at the light shove Elena gave him.

“Dick!” Elena said simply, offering her own chuckle.

“What did bleach blonde Barbie want with you?” Damon asked, walking at Elena’s side as she reassumed her stroll through the own.

“She wanted me to come to a party… my birthday party. I told her-” Elena tried to say, before Damon quickly snatched the invitation out of her hands, reading the calligraphic wording on it.

“You’re going,” Damon said with finality, handing it back to her.

“Excuse me? I think I’m supposed to have the right to decide if I want to go anywhere! Besides, I can’t just party when-” Elena said before Damon interrupted her.

“Don’t, Elena. You only get to have these moments once, and that self-sacrificing, idiot brother of mine would agree! I haven’t found a lead in a week, so just relax, and let me deal with it alone, just this once! I appreciate the Na-” Damon said as Elena huffed past him.

“If everyone’s so hellbent on me going, then fine, I’ll go! But I swear to god if you call me Nancy Drew, I’ll drive a stake up your ass!” Elena said, stalking off to walk back to her house.

Damon smiled at the rambunctious attitude Elena showed as he picked up his phone and dialed. “She’s going, Ric. You’re welcome! Now keep her out of my hair for at least a day, I can barely find anything worthwhile with her breathing down my neck.”

“Keep Elena from putting herself into dangerous situations by coopting underage drinking? You don’t have to tell me twice,” Alaric said from the other end, dicing up some carrots in the Gilbert household kitchen.

“Hey! I heard that!” Jenna yelled from the bathroom, earning a chuckle from Alaric.

“Just play house and keep her out of it, ok?” Damon said, ending the call.

“Yeah… of course.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Please, god… please stop!” Ray called out in pain as Klaus shoved another wolfsbane laced toothpick into his body.

Harry looked away, focusing on putting the final bar-goer into a temporary spelled sleep, rendering the four supernatural occupants as the only conscious ones in the bar. For the past two hours, Klaus had taken it upon himself to inflict a demented form of acupuncture on the werewolf, which involved bar toothpicks and a jar of wolfsbane they had kept in the car. The screams of the werewolf tore at his resolve, and there were many moments where he almost stepped in before Stefan stopped him.

“I’ll stop, mate! Just tell me where the rest of the kennel is, and this can all end!” Klaus said, jamming another pick into his chest. Stefan flinched as another scream left the werewolf’s mouth. “C’mon wolf! Just fucking tell me what I want to know!”

Stefan looked at him with pity, so he grabbed a glass on the counter and bit into his wrist, letting out some blood into it. Walking over to the bound werewolf, Stefan leaned over while Klaus looked on with amusement. “Just tell him, dude… it’s not worth it… he won’t stop, it can stop now.”

Ray looked at the blood, then to Stefan; mulling over his decision, the werewolf decided to spit on Stefan, with the vampire staggering back slightly. Klaus let out a laugh, while Harry let out a sigh as he chose to occupy a seat on the bar, facing away from the scene.

“I’m trying to help you!” Stefan growled at him, earning a pained chuckle from Ray.

“Help?! The second I sell out my pack, they’re as good as dead! He’s _Klaus Mikaelson!_ You’re traveling with him, so you should know that when he’s interested in you, it can’t be good!” Ray glared.

“You’re as good as dead if you don’t say anything! It won’t matter to him if you’re dead or alive, we’ll just keep looking for them! At least you have a chance to see them again!” Stefan argued.

Ray almost retorted, before sealing his mouth and looking as far from Stefan as he could, given the wooden spikes in his face. He seemed to be contemplating his choices, and Stefan gave a shaky sigh, hoping that his words would convince the man to give himself a chance. Ray turned back to their direction, giving Klaus a harsh glare.

“Smoky… The Smoky Mountains. We have a camp on the grounds, far from the road and by a lake,” Ray said quietly.

“See! It wasn’t that hard to say something! Just needed to crack some eggs beforehand,” Klaus said jovially.

Stefan ignored his triumphant boasting, instead opting to feed some of his blood to the werewolf. He had hoped it would help him heal, but to his shock, the werewolf let out a grievous howl, stunning both Stefan and Harry and causing Klaus to let out a belly-deep laugh.

“Ah, Stefan! I didn’t realize you had it in you! I would’ve simply had Harry take the toothpicks out of him; but healing him so his skin closes around them? That is a much more pleasant and enjoyable option. For us, but… not for him,” Klaus said with a contorted face, earning a glare from Stefan.

Looking back at the wizard, he saw that Harry was already on his way with his wand.

“Evanesco!” Harry said, feeling relieved as the toothpicks disappeared from his body, and the holes in his skin were able to heal properly and close.

“I- I’m sorry, I wasn’t… thinking,” Stefan said apologetically, stuttering as if he was going into shock.

Ray stayed silent, carefully lifting himself up. The werewolf looked like a ghost, his skin pale and his expression down. Klaus took the moment of silence as an opportunity to speed behind Harry, watching Stefan from his point of view.

“Calm him down for me, love. You seem to be much better at handling him when he’s in his moods than I am,” Klaus whispered, before vamp-speeding to Ray and instantly snapping his neck. Harry looked away as soon as he heard the sickening snap, choosing to keep his eyes down as he went to drag Stefan away from the scene. Klaus looked at the two of his companions, Harry looking anywhere but at him and Stefan distant in mind and body, with a smile. He gave one look to the now dead body on the table, before going to the bar and using the alcohol to douse the sleeping patrons and werewolf. He’d prefer it if he could hear their screams, but he realized that his two partners were rather abhorred to the concept of knowing that innocent life was being hurt.

Taking a matchbox from under the bar counter, the hybrid dragged it across the striking surface, igniting it. Throwing it callously towards the werewolf’s body, Klaus quickly evacuated the building and made his way to the car. Starting it up and driving away, he looked to the back to see Stefan laying in Harry’s lap, the wizard’s hands carting through his hair in a calming manner. Said vampire was looking forward, perhaps at the road, or perhaps to memories unknown.

“Shouldn’t we have awoken those people? I don’t think it’d do well for them to wake up with a dead body on a table,” Harry said. Klaus merely looked back through the rearview mirror, not at Harry, but at Stefan. He gave the vampire a raised eyebrow, seeing if he would tell the boy about the fire he started; the one that would eventually consume the bar and all those still inside.

“Not our problem…” Stefan fibbed to answer Harry’s inquiry, hiding his glare to Klaus. Harry took Stefan at his word, looking down at his turned face, then to the facing forward Klaus who was watching the road, and laid his head back, closing his eyes.

“That’s a bit sloppy if you ask me, but you’re the psycho murderous maniac, so I guess it’s _your_ problem, and not ours,” Harry said as he felt the lull of the bumpy road pull him into the land of dreams.

“Ever the knight, Stefan…” Klaus teased once he knew Harry was truly asleep, in a whisper he knew only the vampire would hear. 

“I won’t let him turn into something like… us,” Stefan said silently, yet resolutely.

“You can’t keep what we’ve done from him forever,” Klaus fired back.

“I can try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love a good ole' shower scene? hmmmmm? ;) Anyway, yeah, there's definitely gonna be a much higher body count of innocents in my story as opposed to canon. I do want to position this as neutral as possible though. Like, Klaus is an evil douche, and he can be very cruel, but he also recognizes Harry's limits with this stuff and takes cues, whether he realizes it or not, from Stefan on how to not upset Harry. This will be key later on, so watch out! And if the time jump was a little wonky, I apologize, I have a shit sense of time when it comes to my writing in general, so just bear with me and my abstract vacuum of space-time.
> 
> Oh, and FYI, for most scenes that I write for this fic, but especially for the last scene in this chapter, I always imagine it like how they'd do it in the show. Like, the dramatic sequence, the angsty music, the last-minute plot twist or event that makes you desperate to see what happens next! Even the page breaks are where I imagine a commercial break to be. So, yeah, if you want to play some music from the TVD soundtrack during the last few parts, I encourage it!
> 
> Anyway, see you guys next time!


	7. What Makes Him So Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peek into the lives of the Mystic Falls gang, and insight into what makes Harry so interesting to Klaus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooo... it's been a wild week for everyone, myself included. And, um, I hope everyone's social distancing is going well... 
> 
> Anyway, the next chapter! We inch along steadily towards the big homecoming, but, we still have some things to do, lives to be threatened and/or lost, etc, etc. Hope you enjoy this chapter! There isn't much by way of any steamy scenes, but it adds some insight into why Harry is so special to the grand scheme of things. 
> 
> Hopefully, now that all my classes are online for the foreseeable future, I'll be able to update routinely, but, I won't make any promises. So, enjoy!

It wouldn’t have mattered; Stefan thinks to himself as he sits in the back of the car. Telling Harry of Klaus’ deplorable actions would’ve just made this entire journey even more uncomfortable than it already was. Keeping him in the dark of what Klaus had done on the nights the wizard stayed away from their carnage was the best course of action. At least, it had to be, for Stefan’s sake as much as it was for Harry. This way, he’d feel like he wasn’t totally gone; like he wasn’t truly the Ripper this time.

Harry… Harry stood for a lot of things these past months, just as Elena had for the past year. He, she, they… represented the sliver of humanity and mercy that he’d been desperate to hold onto ever since his last binge. They kept him grounded, and curbed his bloodlust, especially in the times that it felt like there was nothing that could keep him from slaughtering any and every living being in his line of fire. It was why Stefan took so well to Harry so quickly, and why he was so desperate to keep him from turning into something like him and Klaus… something beastly, without humanity. If Harry knew, and if Klaus had messed with his mind, even more, to make him accept it, then he might as well kiss his humanity goodbye.

“You need to think less, or at least not look like you need to use the bathroom every time we’re in the car,” Harry said, jolting him from his musings. Their drive had gone on into the morning, and by that point, Harry had awoken and was sitting on the opposite end of the backseat. Harry gave him a knowing smile, biting his lip as Stefan reciprocated.

“I agree with Harry, Stefan. No need to be so negative all the time! Enjoy the time away from the ‘wife’! Think of this as a trip with the lads,” Klaus said from the driver’s seat, eyeing him through the reflection of the rearview mirror.

Harry rolled his eyes, looking at the back of the hybrid’s head. “A demented trip,” Harry whispered back, knowing the occupants of the car could hear him.

The playful standoff between the two sides of the car went on for about an hour more, with the three trading banter as easily as they traded jabs. It was… normal, perhaps even welcome, for the three of them. So much of this summer had been defined by the invasion of autonomy and privacy done by Klaus, but in these moments, it was easy to forget that. To think of themselves as companions, not a captor and his captives.

“We’re here,” Klaus said, parking the car off to the side. With all three exiting, Harry allowed the two vampires to lead the way, not wanting to engage in a fight against werewolves. The trek to the campsite was laborious; a hike that Harry was certainly not dressed for, and he didn’t have the privilege of vampire endurance to mitigate not being dressed for the occasion. But it seemed as the information they were given was indeed truthful, a fact that Harry was secretly miffed about. He had hoped that, in some roundabout-messed-up way, Ray was able to get in one last ‘fuck you’ to Klaus before his premature death by giving him bad information.

Still, seeing the nomadic pack at the base of the mountain gave him a bit of nostalgia. Back to the times when he would sneak out and watch the centaurs and other creatures in the Forbidden Forest herd around. But that was a much different time, and his objective, willing or not, is most definitely different from it was back then. These people were a hair’s width away from death if Ray Sutton’s fate was any indication. Still, Harry wondered why they traveled so much, just to hunt down a pack of wolves.

“Stay behind us, Harry. Stefan, I’ll need you to cover my back. And do please stay out of the way of their teeth. Wouldn’t want you to get all loosey-goosey with that blood problem of yours,” Klaus said to the both of them. They shook their heads, following his lead as they descended down the hill, walking into the clear view of the werewolf pack.

As they approached, Harry had his hand hovering over his wand. He could feel his heart beating very loudly, and he was sure that the enhanced beings in the area could easily hear it.

“Hello, my name is Klaus Mikaelson. But you might know me better as the _Hybrid.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“How have you been, Bonnie?” Elena asked as sat on the witch’s bed, watching her friend try on several dresses in front of her bedroom mirror.

“I’ve been a lot worse, so I can’t really complain when shit doesn’t go my way for a day,” Bonnie said with a lopsided grin. “I’ve been trying to go through my Grams’ grimoires to see what the hell that witch’s spell did. But, well… I don’t know if it’s the spirits messing with me as punishment for botching things that night, but I haven’t been able to focus on anything without it changing the pages.”

“Bonnie, if they’re giving you shit for pulling off what you did, then all I can say is fuck them!” Elena jokingly said, before jumping up in shock as the scented candle on Bonnie’s bedside table flared up greatly.

“Elena… I think you pissed them off,” Bonnie said ominously… before giving the Cheshire Cat a run for his money with the smile she had on her face. Elena playfully glared at the witch, throwing the pillow at her as payback.

“Bonnie! Don’t fucking do that! You scared me!” Elena scolded, chuckling along with the witch as the Bennett canceled the spell on the candle, putting out the flame instantly. “Just because you’re juiced up on magic juju doesn’t mean you should use it on your friends!”

“Even when said friend needs to take the stick out of her ass?” Bonnie said plainly, earning another pillow to the face. “What?! Caroline’s right, you know! You need to chill the fuck out! It’s your eighteenth birthday! If he was here with us, he’d probably tell you to lighten up!”

“Bonnie… I can’t just forget about him! He saved me! Us! We can’t just leave him with Klaus!” Elena said, with Bonnie sighing and sitting next to the girl, letting the doppelganger place her head on the witch’s exposed shoulder. “If I let things go… let things move on as nothing happened… I’m afraid he won’t come back at all…”

“Oh ‘Lena. He’ll be back! And when he is, we’ll skin that asshole of a hybrid and we can move on with our lives,” Bonnie assured her friend.

Letting out a soft breath, Elena shuffled her hair out of her face and gave Bonnie a slightly forced smile. “Yeah… you’re right. Anyway… let’s see those dresses!”

“That’s the spirit!” Bonnie responded, jovially jumping up from the bed and picking up the two dresses she had laid down on the floor. Facing the mirror, she called out to her friend behind her, “Red or blue?”

“Red, like the blood that will spill from your body if you fail us!” A harsh voice screamed in Bonnie’s ear, from a source that was most definitely not in the room. It caused Bonnie to drop the dresses and scream bloody murder, startling Elena, who looked at her friend in worry as she bolted up to comfort her friend.

“Bonnie!” Elena screamed at her friend’s freak out, rushing up to take the witch into her arms. A jumbling of steps could be heard from the door, and Elena braced herself for a possible invader. But her fears were assuaged when the steps revealed themselves to be her brother, who had run inside with a knife in hand.

“What happened?! What’s going on?!” Jeremy called out from the door, eyeing Bonnie’s pale form in Elena’s arms.

“I don’t know, Jeremy! She just started screaming!” Elena called out, moving over a bit to accommodate Jeremy.

As the Gilberts tried to figure out what was wrong with Bonnie, all the witch could see was a ghoulish figure, garbed in period clothing and long, matted hair, standing at the doorway. She had a face that could only be described as horrific; a sense of darkness and rage that permeated her being. It filled Bonnie with dread, enough to cause her to scream at the sight of her. It was both a foreign, yet familiar, feeling. She felt the same disembodied sensation as she felt on the night she confronted Klaus; yet, she also felt an indescribable rage, something that no living being could possibly have.

“Bonnie! Bonnie!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Shit,” Damon succinctly said as he watched the local authorities and fire department surround the remnants of the bar from afar. The vampire had gotten a tip from a fellow vampire in the area a few days ago about spotting Klaus, and he was all but ready to pursue the kidnapper of his brother until he drove to where the hybrid had been spotted and saw the tragedy had occurred. While he had been on scouting missions with Alaric to the murder sites, one’s he knew were a hallmark of his brother’s… very special proclivity towards ultraviolence, he had never come across a site as… gruesome as this. While he could take, and understand to a degree, the serial-killer-like offerings of Stefan’s body trail, he was genuinely shocked to hear what had happened here.

Dozens of people had apparently been burned alive in the bar, and that was only the cherry to the whole fucked up sundae going on. They had apparently all been congregated into one corner of the bar, which was apparently right next to the start of the fire. He was amazed that the fuzz there could discern anything, seeing as all that was left was one wall and a shit ton of ashes.

Clenching his jaw, Damon let out a grumble and picked up his phone to dial a number. “We have a big problem.”

“How big?” Alaric said on the other end.

“Well, either my brother suddenly became a pyromaniac, or Klaus is trying to cover his tracks… hardcore,” Damon said, punctuating his last word to emphasize the magnitude. “Burned the entire fucking bar to the ground, victims included. There’s nothing left; nothing to trace his location, nothing to confirm its them, _nothing.”_

“Did you try and get one of the local authorities to hand over some footage? There has to be a dashcam or CCTV camera somewhere near there?!” Alaric said, moving over to his laptop to search up the area Damon was in.

“Nope, I tried to get one of the deputies to spill the deets’. Turns out the bastard was a newbie and when I tried on of his superiors, they got suspicious, so I had to bounce,” Damon said as he got back in his car.

“So, is this going into the ‘definitely Stefan’ file? Or are is it another dead end?” Alaric asked.

“Put it in the ‘maybe’ pile,” Damon proclaimed, roaring his car to life, and driving away from the scene, heading back toward Mystic Falls. He hung up the phone without any goodbyes or pleasantries, not particularly in the mood for sass at the moment.

On the other end, Alaric rolled his eyes and threw his phone onto the couch beside him. Shutting his laptop, the vampire hunter went to his fridge to grab a cool bottle of beer.

“Isn’t it a little early to be drinking? Party’s not till this Wednesday,” Jenna proclaimed, eyeing her boyfriend from across the room. She was a bit disheveled, sporting her most common fashion as of late: bedroom chic. The newly turned vampire gave the man a seductive smirk, before speeding over to him and landing in his lap.

“You can blame the day drinking on Damon. He’s still looking for leads on Stefan,” Alaric said to the red-head, rubbing her back as she leaned into him.

“Has he found anything? He and Elena have been at it since summer started,” Jenna said.

“Just dead end, after dead end. Almost like Stefan doesn’t want to be found,” Alaric said exasperatingly.

“Don’t give up on him, at least for Elena’s sake. He’s a good man, it’ll just take time. If he’s really with that psycho Klaus, then, of course, he’s playing hard to get. Maybe he doesn’t want the two of them to get hurt, or maybe-” Jenna tried to say before Alaric gave her a swift kiss.

“How about… we let the immortal douchebag sort out his issues with his immortal teenage brother on his own, and we adults relax before we have to inevitably walk around with sticks up our asses come Wednesday?” Alaric whispered to Jenna, who let out a giggle before launching a much deeper kiss to her boyfriend.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“And you’re certain that he’s at this location?” A proper and prim accented voice asked the hooded figure in the alleyway. The hooded figure nodded mutely, not wanting to chance saying the wrong thing to the Original in his proximity. Said Original gave the man a smile, before turning back to head towards the busy streets of New York.

Elijah smirked as he walked off from the lone wolf he had been in contact with. Doing business with wolves, especially for a vampire, was tricky business in its own right. But to do it with that very _specific_ breed was even more trepidations an effort. It had taken quite a sum of money to even get the wolf to appear, let alone tell him what he wanted to know. Thankfully, he had accrued wealth from a millennium of time on this planet. After a bit of bargaining, he had successfully siphoned the information he needed.

Now he was on his way to a special bar in the southern borough. One that was privy to those of his particular stature; meaning, vampires with daylight rings, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures who walked their plane of existence. It was remarkable to say the least, that a place so out in the open would be such a hotbed for supernatural gossip. Riding in a compelled driver’s car, Elijah fixed up his suit and buffed away any trash particles that found their way onto his sleek suit.

The Original was looking down at his phone, watching the footage of a slaughter that he had attained a few nights ago, from some backwater town in Tennessee. Being the progenitor to a plethora of vampires over the ages afforded him the privilege of having eyes and ears everywhere. Which meant, that he had eyes and ears on his dear brother. He knew that the hybrid had taken to forcefully enlist the help of one Stefan Salvatore and one Harry Potter, for reasons that he couldn’t discern at this time. Although, his trip to this bar would hopefully yield an answer to at least one of those.

Arriving in somewhat style, Elijah told the driver to wait for him several blocks down. Exiting the car and making sure the driver followed his directive, Elijah buttoned one of his suit buttons and walked forward into the establishment. Greeting the doorman with a nod, Elijah walked through the slightly hazy atmosphere of the bar. He knew that each and every single pair of eyes were on him; his reputation, and his family’s reputation, preceding him. Walking to an empty table, Elijah observed a huddled figure at the bar, discreetly drinking a cup of what he found to be A-Positive if his sense of smell was correct.

“I know you know I am here. Please, come sit and join me,” Elijah said, knowing the other vampire would hear him. Although looking around, it seemed as though the other undead patrons had heard him as well, all of them slowly moving as far away from him as they could. Waiting for the man to make his trek towards him, Elijah had beckoned a server and ordered a fresh cup of whiskey mixed with blood.

After delaying the inevitable for long enough, the vampire made his way to Elijah, carefully sitting down, ignoring the inquisitive stares of the other bar-goers. “What do you want with me, Elijah?”

“Is that any way to address an old friend? I mean, if it wasn’t for my brother, your sire I might add, and I, you would have been dead in a ditch in some slum. We made you who you are, and you owe us much more than you’ve given,” Elijah plainly laid out, angling himself on his chair so he could lean back.

“I’ve repaid my debt to Klaus! I’m the reason he’s even-” the vampire started to say loudly, before looking around and quieting down, “I gave him a solution to his problem. And from what I’ve heard, it worked! So, I don’t owe the Mikaelson’s _anything!”_

“No, _Sanguini._ You’re sorely mistaken if you think what you’ve done somehow absolves your debt to us for giving you eternal life. You may have given Klaus a gift that warranted his gratitude, but you have done nothing for _me,”_ Elijah proclaimed to Sanguini, his presence overwhelming both the other vampire and the nearest denizens of the bar to them.

The younger vampire flinched back; no amount of arrogance, confidence, or swagger, could delude any vampire into thinking they stood a chance against an Original, regardless of which one it was. “Now, be the good little farm hand you used to be and tell me why you handed over Harry Potter to my brother.”

It only took for the mention of those two names to silence the entire bar. If Elijah had a pin and dropped it, he was sure it would reverberate throughout the entire establishment. Looking around, Elijah was able to discern the growing number of patrons who were curious to see what the deal was with Klaus and the boy-who-lived. While death and resurrection were, for the most part, commonplace among the creatures of the night and their witch cousins, having that feat under your belt since you were an infant is what made such waves in their community. Couple that with the Original Hybrid being so interested in him, and well, he was nonplussed to see why they were becoming the talk of the town.

“I- I had known him since he was in school. Hell… heard about him since he was a kid. I knew he was a special kind of wizard, not like the rest of them… not how _I_ used to be. When he was legal, well… I helped him with some… self-discovery. We met off and on, kept in touch. He had always shown an aptitude for curse-breaking, or at least that’s what I heard. So, when I discovered that Klaus was still looking for a solution to the whole… curse thing, I figured that if anyone could get it done, it was Harry,” Sanguini explained, shifting his eyes as if he was being vigilant for something in the dark corners of the bar.

“And I assume you had hope that handing the boy over on a silver platter to my brother would pay off your debt to our family?” Elijah surmised, grinning slyly at the meek look the vampire had. It was astonishing to see the once cunning and boisterous vampire return to the pathetic little farm hand he once was; aspiring for something so much more than the natural world could offer him. He was lucky that they were so new to the concept of turning people, lest they would have not even looked in his direction.

“What makes him so special? If I remember correctly, his kind has a plethora of professionals who _work_ in that field. Why take an inexperienced young man?” Elijah further interrogated.

Sanguini looked around before leaning closer to Elijah, so close that he could hear the breathing of the Original. Whispering so quietly that not even the other vampires in the room could hear, he told him.

“Because he’s not _normal_. He smells of _death_.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Why the hell would we do anything you ask of us? You’re Klaus Mikaelson! We might as well be asking for our deaths!” one of the werewolves said as they looked on at the imposing trio. Klaus merely smirked at the callout, chuckling at the way their hearts were beating out of their chests.

“He’s right,” the werewolf closest to them said, “you aren’t welcome here, Klaus. We’ve never quarreled with you or your family. We just want to live in peace and isolation. Now go!”

“So, you must be the leader of this little pack?” Klaus said, stepping forward to size up the man.

“No… our leader isn’t here right now,” the man said nervously, stepping back from Klaus’ imposing figure.

“He… wouldn’t happen to have been a man by the name of Ray Sutton, would he?” Klaus said in a deadly calm whisper.

The man’s nostrils flared, and he quickly regained his confidence, rushing over to confront the hybrid. “What… what did you do to Ray?!” The man took Klaus’ collar in his hands and used his werewolf strength to lift him. Of course, Klaus merely allowed the man to do so, not worrying about any sort of menial injury these runts of the littler could inflict on him.

Klaus leaned into the man, whispering in his ear, “I snapped his pathetic little neck like a fucking twig.”

The werewolf let go of him out of shock, looking bewildered as the rest of the pack realized what had happened to their protector and leader.

“You fucking piece of shit! You killed him!” a female werewolf yelled, launching herself at the hybrid. While the two of his companions readied for a battle, a small hand signal from him keyed them into knowing he did not require any assistance. Simply side-stepping her futile attack, Klaus took the opportunity to bite his wrist. Seeing his opening, Klaus quickly appeared behind the girl and thrust his wrist to her lips, forcing her to drink his blood. He kept her on it for a few more seconds before moving his other hand to break her neck. Smiling with glee at the horrified faces of the others, Klaus let her body fall indignantly to the ground.

It took a second for what had just occurred at that moment to register to the pack, but once it did, they sought the only course of action they could think of: run.

“Stefan, would you round out the stragglers? And Harry, dear, place a barrier around us once he’s done that. Wouldn’t want any of my new play-things to get away!” Klaus ordered them, their bodies automatically following those commands.

After Stefan quickly broke the legs of the few that decided to run, Harry was able to cast the barrier around them, congregating them in the middle of their campgrounds. Standing off to the side, Harry allowed Klaus inside the barrier, along with Stefan.

“Now… the real fun begins.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find myself wanting to have steamy scenes with Klaus and Harry, but scenes like this happen and I'm like: "well, I gotta add more sympathetic backstory/douchey Klaus charisma/grey!Harry to things, so they can get together without it being weird." 
> 
> But, then I remember all the horrible things Damon did and he still got with Elena, so then I'm like... "ok, now I gotta get them in a non-murder-y setting so they can fuuuuuu-"
> 
> Anyway, hoped you enjoyed this, hopefully I can finish up the next chapter soon, but, until then, please stay safe! Wash your hands! and take protective measures to ensure the safety of you and everyone around you!


	8. A Fancy Stick And Pretty Green Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry makes his pathos known to Klaus as they discuss the perks of being a vampire. In another part of the country, Caroline debates the love life of one Elena Gilbert, while another couple tries to make things work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! Hope everyone is safe and healthy!
> 
> We're still in the Smoky Mountains for this chapter (I know, I know), so bear with me, please! And we also get some deep discussions between our three boys, as well as another look into how the Mystic Falls gang is doing while Stefan's out. Not much in the way of relationship building, but we get to see a bit more of how Stefan's doing in all this, as well as more Harry, and even a peek inside Klaus' head!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

“Don’t engage, Gabriel, allow things to play out,” Elijah said to the man, a vampire several generations separated from him within his sire line. The man was one of the many agents the Original had kept close to his chest over the years. With the threat of their father always looming, he had thought it best to have pockets of vampires awaiting him should he ever need them. While he had lost touch with a heap of them over the centuries, the ones that did stay in contact were incredibly loyal.

Such things come in handy, especially when you have an immortal hunter after you, scouring the planet for any trace of you that he can find. Other times, they find themselves as useful flies on the wall, keeping an eye on things, whether those things were his brother or his father.

“You sure, Elijah, sir? He’s… slaughtering an entire pack of wolves…” Gabriel said quietly, not wanting to be discovered from his spot on the hill.

“I am quite sure, Gabriel. My brother has been on a rampage for two months now, and this is my only chance to find out why,” Elijah replied.

“If you say so,” The vampire said, hanging up the phone to not waste any more of Elijah’s time.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“What did you do to her?!” A werewolf, whose leg had been broken by Stefan, whimpered. “Just please… leave us alone.”

Klaus tilted his head at the girl, slowly walking towards her. Kneeling, he looked at the girl’s eyes, taking her chin in his hand. The girl began to tear up, and her male companion at her side glared hard at the hybrid. Klaus let out a chuckle, growing his nails into claws, piercing the girl’s skin, and causing her to shed even more tears.

“Stop it!” The man beside her grunted at Klaus, his hand shooting out to grab Klaus’ wrist. Klaus took to the show of disobedience by baring his teeth in a demon-like grin.

“Well, thank you for volunteering to be next, buddy,” Klaus said, quickly taking his hands from the werewolf girl and using it to put the other werewolf in a chokehold. Lifting him off the ground, Klaus did not care for the whimpers and cries from the younger of the pack around him. Throwing him off to the side, he quickly bit into his wrist and sped towards him, slamming him into the nearest tree. Shoving his wrist into the guy’s mouth, the onlookers, Stefan included, watched in horror as Klaus force-fed his blood to another werewolf.

“Max! No!” One of the werewolves screamed, trying to stand up, but was stopped by Stefan who sped to her and shoved her back down. Harry, who was outside of the barrier, watched while biting his lips. He screwed his eyes shut to the screams of abject fear, trying to drown them out.

Once Klaus thought that the man had consumed enough of his blood, he released his wrist and snapped his neck with no remorse. “Who’s next?”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The town of Mystic Falls, no matter the big bad of the week nor the rampant murders of the day, was hard-pressed to find itself not being micromanaged by one Caroline Forbes. The blonde was known by all, young and old, as a control freak and a bit of a megalomaniac. A notorious boss who, even in her un-death, was someone who never backed down from sharing her opinions. Which was where she found herself, or rather, where Tyler found himself; on the receiving end of the infamous Caroline-Forbes-branded rants.

“I mean, how blind can she be?! How can she not see that Damon is totally creeping on her?! In broad daylight! How can she possibly stand having that egotistical jack-ass near her for longer than a millisecond?!” Caroline yelled to Tyler, but in reality, to no one in particular. The pair was currently at the blonde’s house, while her mother was away at work. The werewolf looked at the girl with shimmering eyes, though anytime she’d turn to him, he made sure to hide them.

For the first time in his entire post-puberty life, the werewolf had tried to knock his playboy habits to curb. He’d never directly admit why, but the blonde in front of him may have had something to do with it. In fact, he’d shirked a lot of behaviors off and brought some on because of Caroline. For instance, accepting the brunt of Caroline’s rants was something no man, woman, or child would want to do; and yet, here he was.

“I mean… maybe she enjoys his company? Maybe without her and Stefan attached at the hip, she’s realizing-”

“Don’t! Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Tyler!” Caroline interrupted, shutting up Tyler to allow her to intercede. “Elena knows all the vile, horrible, disgusting, just- ugh! - things that he’s done since coming to town! She wouldn’t fall for him just because Stefan isn’t here!”

“I never said she was falling for him, Car’. Maybe she just thinks he’s a good dude when he’s not tormenting his younger brother?” Tyler offered. “Or maybe… she was already-”

“La, la, la, la! I’m not listening! I refuse to think that she has-had-whatever! Feelings for him!” Caroline childishly whined, causing Tyler to playfully roll his eyes up at her. Quirking a brow, the werewolf stood up from the bed he was sitting on and put both his hands on her shoulders. “Car’, I’m not gonna pretend to know the ins-and-outs of Elena’s head; but what I can say from watching her, is that she only smiles when she’s with _him._ Real smiles, genuine happiness! Like she used to be, before the accident. Sure, she puts on the act for us, but she’s only doing that, so she won’t worry us!”

Caroline, looking at the boy with skepticism, let out a huff. “Still… Stefan is out _there,_ and not here. Damon’s an asshole for trying it with her.”

“He’s an asshole to you regardless of whether he was making a move on Elena or not. Just let her deal with it, and don’t meddle! Especially since her party is coming up,” Tyler reasoned to the blonde.

“Yeah, fine. No meddling… got it.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“ _Is behavior-altering parasitic fungi the key to the legend of the vampire?_ ” Jenna read from her laptop as she and Alaric were preparing Elena’s birthday cake.

“What the hell are you reading?” Alaric asked teasingly, making a face at Jenna as she used her vamp-speed to get the baking done in record time.

“This article a friend sent to me! When I found out about the whole… you know,” Jenna said while gesturing abstractly in front of her, then towards herself, “supernatural thing… I asked him for some info on vampires and werewolves, and anything else that goes bump in the night. Since he’s Sheila Bennett’s protégé, I figured he knew his shit.”

“Right… and yet he sent you an article from some crackpot website about evil ’shrooms?” Alaric questioned, filling the plastic tubes with the frosting. Jenna, on behalf of her paranormal expert friend, jokingly glared at Alaric’s dismissal of his work.

“Stop it!” Jenna said, launching a glob of frosting at Alaric. However, due to her vampire strength, the glob fully splattered onto his face, caking it entirely in the frosting. Jenna took one second of digesting the scene before she fully started to wheeze-laugh, her emotions heightened to the max.

“That’s not fucking funny, Jenna!” Alaric whined jokingly.

“Of course it fucking is!” Jenna said between wheeze, vamp-speeding to get her phone in order to snap a picture of the history teacher. “We are so putting this as a poster in your classroom!”

“Absolutely not!” Alaric said, fruitlessly chasing the vampire around the island of the kitchen. If anyone were to view the two now, they would not be privy to the horrific trauma that had occurred months ago. While Jenna was still as playful and loving as always, she kept her qualms and fears of being undead to herself. Not even Alaric knew; in fact, there was only one other person in town who knew her struggle. The blonde vampire had helped her in the weeks following her transition, but still, it was tough trying to not let it all fall apart. It seemed to be the easy way out, but she’d promised herself that she’d try for a normal life. Well… mostly normal.

As the two continued their baking session, Jenna’s phone began to ring. Stopping their running, Jenna smiled at Alaric before answering it.

“Jenna here, who’s-”

“Jenna, you need to come to the hospital! It’s Bonnie!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry closed his eyes, breathing slowly; in and out… trying to ignore the rampant slaughter going on just a few steps away from him. By the fifth shriek of terror, Harry had elected to cast a silencing spell on the barrier, muffling the screams to a debatably more horrific silence. It seemed like an eternity had passed since he had last heard some form of sentient life.

He waited even longer until a soft hand came to caress his cheek. Harry took a sharp intake of breath before the voice attached to the hand began to speak to him in a lowly whisper. “It’s over love. You can take the barrier down.”

With the command from the familiar British twang, Harry stopped the flow of magic from his wand, dropping it to the floor as he collapsed into Klaus’ arms. Said hybrid caught him with ease, maneuvering his body so that Klaus’ chest would block Harry’s line of sight. Despite the reprieve from seeing the carnage of the campsite, Harry still refused to open his eyes, his eyelids shut as if they were sewn together.

“Love, you can open your eyes…” Klaus whispered to him, gently rubbing the back of Harry’s neck. “Stefan’s taking care of the bodies… they aren’t there anymore.”

“How fucking stupid have I been? Allowing any of this to happen… letting you kill so many innocent people,” Harry whispered back as the exhaustion became more evident as he opened his eyes, “maybe I’ve been stupidly trying to ignore it, just like I ignore the way you take advantage of him…”

Klaus tilted his head, gently rubbing his thumb on the line of Harry’s spinal cord. “You aren’t stupid, love, nor are you ignoring it. You’re just doing exactly what I’ve been telling you to do. When you chalk it up to the big bad hybrid forcing you to be his henchmen, there’s a lot of room for moral retribution. A canvas can still return to its pristine form with a thick enough coat of white.”

Harry gave him a sour smile, his former tears leaving tracks along the curvature of his face that Klaus couldn’t help but trace. “It must be nice… to have the option to wipe your slate.”

Looking up at the man, Harry tried to discern the look on his face. It was neutral, if albeit a bit sympathetic. “Is that so, darling?” Klaus said as he slowly traces the curves of Harry’s neck.

“To not feel anything. To be able to just… turn it all off. I can’t count the number of times in the past two months that I wished I could have that little power you vampires have,” Harry confessed, catching Klaus slightly off guard.

“Mm… no, I don’t think you’d do well with having a humanity switch. You are far too much of a sensitive soul to want to get rid of it all. But this isn’t the discussion to have in the middle of a murder scene, don’t you think, love?” Klaus softly teased, easing his grip on Harry as he felt the boy’s heart begin to calm down.

“Says the monster who’s flirting with an exhausted and emotionally compromised wizard after slaughtering an entire wolf pack,” Harry quipped back.

“Love… we’re all monsters,” Klaus softly taunted, earning a tired glare from Harry.

“Stefan’s been tearing up the town, quite literally I might add. Headless dame here… eviscerated bloke over there… it’s all a bit of a party if I do say so myself. I, on the other hand, instigate things. I set the stage for the big, bad, _Ripper_ ; then, I clean up and get us moving to the next stop. But you…you play the innocent prince, locked in his tower by the _evil, bad, horrible beast._ But what you don’t realize… is that you’ve been delighting in the carnage I wreak on the world. You let a beast like me whisk you off so you can finally have some semblance of-” Klaus said towards him, letting the words soak into the very fabric of Harry’s being. As he began to turn the conversation on Harry, a snap of a twig alerted the two to Stefan coming towards them.

Klaus smirked, winking to Harry as he gently set him down on the ground. Harry shamefully turned his back to the pile of corpses, opting to twiddle his wand.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“What the hell do you want us to do now?” Stefan asked, his eyes roving around so he wouldn’t directly face Klaus. Stefan’s line of sight found itself settled upon the curled-up form of Harry. Klaus, noticing where Stefan’s eyes were, turned his head ever so slightly, as to whisper so only the vampire would hear.

“Just wait… we’ll find out soon enough if we need to cover our tracks again,” Klaus said as he took in Harry’s prone form.

“Pretty little thing, isn’t he? A bit self-righteous, but his heart’s in the right place. Although, I guess you already knew that,” Klaus said teasingly, “a rare breed of human, he is. The type that feels so damn much, it’s like he’s one of us. Even with the compulsion, he can feel the grips of guilt and sorrow wrack his soul.”

“Why keep him, then? He sounds more like a liability than a capable partner in crime.” Stefan challenged for the nth time during their forced association with Klaus, knitting his brows together as he tried to tune out the soft, uneven breathing from Harry.

“I keep him around because it adds a bit of unpredictability to our little outings. How often can supernatural beings like us say they’ve been blessed with the grace and presence of a _wizard,_ ” Klaus said, responding in a similar fashion to how he had been weeks ago, in a whisper as he turned and walked toward the pile of bodies that Stefan had moved around.

“No, there has to be some other reason than to have him as a novelty,” Stefan questioned the hybrid as he walked away.

“Perhaps you are right, Stefan… I guess… it has been a while since I’ve had this much fun with company. Reminds me of the _old days_ ,” Klaus softly admitted, opting to turn his attention fully towards the pile of bodies that were beginning to stir.

Stefan decided not to act on hearing Klaus’ admission, instead opting to comfort Harry.

“You ok?” Stefan, admittingly lamely, asks the very clearly ‘over-it’ wizard.

“Sometimes… I wonder if you’ve just been playing me and you’ve already flipped your humanity switch off weeks ago,” Harry said without much bite to the accusation, “because I don’t know how the hell you can stand being with him so much.”

“If I had my switch off, you’d be the first to know; and by that, I mean I’d be halfway through your neck,” Stefan said with a dull tone, helping the boy stand up.

“I mean, if we go by that logic, you’d have had your switch off since we a while back, when you tried to do such,” Harry teased, his hands grasping Stefan’s forearms for support.

“God… what the hell are we doing,” Stefan said lowly, taking in the state of the two. “I should be with my brother and Elena, and you should be anywhere _but here_. I’m losing it, I really am.”

“Nothing much we can do, Stefan,” Harry whispered sadly, his eyes poised downward towards the meeting point between Harry’s hands and Stefan’s arms.

“I’m… just tired. I’m acting in ways I would never have and I’m questioning every thought that comes into my head. I don’t know where _my feelings_ end, and his compulsion begins.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

They were foolish, though Klaus knew it was because of how young they were compared to the eons he had been on the Earth. He had seen kings born from poppers; empires fall in the blink of an eye. He had seen so much that the silly little things his two companions often complained about were mere particles of issues to him. In the millennia he’d walked the fine plains, and sailed the great blue waters, of the Earth, he’d rarely thought twice about… his feelings. Not when his brother sought to throw away the gift their mother had given them; nor when his dear little brother threatened to expose them with his stupidity and madness. Not even the childish longings of his sister, and her subsequent look of utter betrayal, could get Klaus to consider what he felt.

Still, he loved his family, dearly. Above all others, the Mikaelson’s stood atop a high ground very few people in Klaus’ life could say they stood on. And yet… a fiery little wizard and a perpetually depressed vampire forced him to look down. Down to the Earth, where mortals lived and died, and where emotions ruled.

He had never admitted it until now, but the hybrid had enjoyed the time he spent with the two. Obviously, having the one wish he’d wanted for centuries finally granted added to his serendipity. But still, he enjoyed their company. In the time he’d spent estranged from Elijah, he had come to notice a stunning lack of restraint. A murderer he was, but a madman he was not. With Harry and Stefan, though he’d never admit it openly to them, especially with what he had done to them, he found himself… holding back. He took time from thinking about his own goals to think about how others in his proximity were feeling.

Whether it be watching the man he’d come to find as a brother dance around the memories of their time in the twenties, or watching an emotionally vulnerable wizard contemplate the wonders of a humanity switch, he’d come to find that time was becoming more important than ever to him. When you live as long as someone like him, days begin to blur, and you begin to think less of the moment and more about the fluidity of time. Why worry about lowly mortals when you know you’d outlive them? It wasn’t much of a concern to many vampires, and it was especially not a concern to one as old as him.

But having things that grounded him, kept his mind alert, pleased a very hidden and deeply buried part of Klaus. He had time to reflect on the past months, and of things that he otherwise would’ve allowed for the river of time to drown.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

_“I know why you brought me; I owe you for my brother’s life… but why would you bring him?” Stefan asked during one of the many overnight car-rides he’d been an unwilling participant in during these past few weeks._

_“Would you believe me in saying he’s only with us as a swiss-army knife of sorts? That wand of his does a lot of damage, and the boy holding it can do even more,” Klaus said as he made sure to ease the car over the harsh backroad, making sure not to wake up Harry’s sleeping form._

_“You probably have a witch loyal or afraid enough of you in every city in the country that would be willing to do anything you asked of them. Do a fancy stick and pretty green eyes mean that much more to you than that? Especially since he’s not even willingly here?” Stefan questioned further._

_Klaus, hiding away Stefan’s comment on Harry’s alluring eyes in the back of his head, began to answer him. “It isn’t just the superficial qualities that draw me to keep him at an arms distance. You’ve got to think much deeper than that,” Klaus said, gesturing a finger towards his temple._

_“So not only have you kidnapped him, but you’ve been snooping inside his head,” Stefan sardonically chuckled, “that’s just great. Compelling him to be a lap dog wasn’t enough, so you had to invade his privacy too.”_

_“If you saw into that pretty head of his, you’d see why. He tries to put up a front, but in reality, he’s just a lonely little boy who wants to do whatever he can to chase after the people who come into his life,” Klaus retorted back._

_“What’s your next trick, then? You wanna work all my misgivings about my brother and father out? Hell, while you’re in there, let’s chat about how Katherine’s fucked us both over next,” Stefan angrily ranted._

_“You act as if I haven’t already been in there, Stefan,” Klaus smirked, enjoying the way he could make Stefan squirm and fume all at the same time._

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“What… what’s going on…” A small voice said, the sound muffled by the bodies that were surrounding the speaker; but, not so hidden enough for the two vampires to miss it.

At the utterance of those words from the body pile, Klaus’ eyes lit up in glee, just as Stefan’s body began to stiffen. 

“What’s going on?” Harry asked Stefan as he watched the vampire’s body go still.

“I think… I think I know what Klaus has been trying to do…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're FINALLY at the part where the hybrids are made! Will I follow canon and make them defective? Will I continue to go AU with it? Find out next time! Though, on that note, I apologize for anyone not liking Elijah and the rest not knowing that Klaus wants to make hybrids. 
> 
> It's a combo of: a) events not happening like in canon to account for certain people knowing, and b) me completely forgetting things from canon cause its been a minute since I rewatched s3, and going with my own thing, then realizing I fucked up and now have to live with it because I don't want to rewrite a lot. So yeah... 
> 
> Hopefully, next chapter, I can work in another steamy scene, but this time no interruptions... hehe...


	9. You Have No Right To Call Me That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Words are thrown, hearts are broken, trust is shattered; and, at the epicenter of it all, lays one wizard with the prettiest green eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone's doing ok! I just finished the FF7 Remake and, well... let's just say I may have a ton of story notes to make in the future. You can't NOT do what they did and expect me not to think of the ways to make it gayer, more melodramatic, and filled with more Harry, haha. Though, I'm already shit with keeping up with stories and updating them (*cough* poor Damned, one day it'll come back *cough*) so maybe I should put the breaks on that and wait till I can handle the stories I already have. 
> 
> Anyway, for all of you who wondered whether Harry would ever tell Klaus off, well, this is it! He's holding a lot of pent up frustration and Klaus may have picked the wrong moment to talk to him. It's gonna be a highly emotional ride, so, I hope you like this!

_“You’ve been such a disappointment, Bennett witch. We have given you all the power you would need to kill the abomination, and yet, you’re fooling around with the doppelganger! Pathetic little wench!”_ _A voice screamed within her head, tormenting Bonnie as she writhed in her hospital bed._

As she thrashed about, the Gilbert siblings watched on in extreme worry, their guardian and pseudo-guardian talking with a doctor to get an update on the witch, courtesy of Jenna’s rudimentary compulsion.

“And you don’t know why she’s like this?” Alaric pressed the doctor, his eyes blank and loosely holding his clipboard, staring into the empty space away from them as Jenna compelled the man to answer their question, wanting to skip all the hospital bureaucracy.

“No, sir. She’s showing no signs of trauma, brain damage, stroke, or any other condition we can think of that is causing such symptoms. Her heart rate is normal when she isn’t having an episode, and her blood and fluid samples show nothing other than being a fit and healthy young woman,” The doctor drawled out in a neutral tone.

“We’ve asked four doctors already, Ric. There’s no point, they’ve all been saying the same fucking thing!” Jenna exclaimed, rubbing her forehead as she looked at her niece’s friend with pity.

“Then we might as well take her out of here!” Alaric said in a sharp whisper.

Sighing harshly, Jenna chewed her lip before holding the man to make eye contact with her. “You will completely forget that we were here and that we talked to you. That said… if someone asks you to release Bonnie Bennett, then you’ll sign her off, no questions asked.”

The man nodded, walking off robotically at first, then swiftly adapting a normal swagger and pace after a few moments.

“Nice job for a newbie,” Ric teased shallowly, holding their tongues as they went to comfort Jeremy and Elena.

“I should be in there with her… hell, she shouldn’t even be here! They’re just gonna treat her like she’s some nutcase! Or on drugs or something!” Jeremy said with conviction, holding on to the edge of the hospital window looking into Bonnie’s room until his knuckles turned white.

Elena, surprisingly much more composed and aware, turned to Jenna and Alaric with hopeful, but cautious, eyes. “Did he say anything? Did that doctor know if there was anything medically wrong with her?”

“Nope. The same answer as the other four: ‘we don’t know’,” Alaric said as he tried to put a comforting hand on Jeremy’s shoulder, only to be rebuffed off.

Letting out a tired sigh, Elena gave her brother a scolding look before turning back again towards the adult pair. “Then we need to get her out of here. If it isn’t a natural cause, then it has to be-”

“Magic. It’s magic that did this… or the spirits… or whatever the hell she juiced herself up with that night… fuck, I knew we should’ve just done that damn spell!” Jeremy said with even more angst than usual.

“From the sounds of it, it was a dangerous and unpredictable spell, Jer’! Who knows what the hell would’ve happened if she tried to stop your heart!” Jenna lambasted, earning a harsh glare from Jeremy.

“She would’ve been able to bring me back! It wasn’t…” Jeremy almost said, before rightly realizing his sister was the reason for Bonnie powering up in the first place and promptly batting that point to the back of his mind, “look… we need to find someone that knows whatever the hell she did to herself. Another witch, or a vampire… or whatever! We just need someone!” Jeremy said to the other three, earning nods from them.

“Perhaps… I can help, Jeremy,” A voice said behind the four of them. Turning their heads one by one, the pseudo-family was met with the sight of one Johnathan Gilbert.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“There we go…” Klaus mumbled, smirking from ear to ear as the bodies in the pile began to shift around. Those at the bottom, the ones who were killed first, began to tunnel their way out, searching for the tiny shreds of light that illuminated their now post-mortal life. “Glad to see that I wasn’t wrong.”

The hybrid slowly strode towards the awakening wolves… no… awakening _hybrids._ As the group began to all stir and awaken, they stood in a stupor, looking around with an effect of fatigue. The light of the sun, once their salvation from the tyranny of the moon, battered their eyes with harsh rays. Their skin felt as though it were gliding over their muscles, almost like it wasn’t natural.

“Welcome back to the world,” Klaus greeted the group, who all looked towards him in both confusion and fear.

“What… what did you do to us?” The girl Klaus had turned minutes ago asked timidly.

“I… freed you. I made you better than you could ever have dreamed of being!” Klaus boasted, devolving into a hardy laugh as it finally fell onto him of what he had accomplished.

“Enough… what… what the fuck did you do to us?! Answer the question!” A gruffer voice grumbled out, coming from the man that had tried to defend one of the younger wolves.

“I would answer them, Klaus,” Stefan said as he and Harry walked over to the campsite. Formally filled with bodies, it was now filled with a confused wolfpack.

“Ahh! My dear companions! I’m so glad I have an audience to my greatest achievement!” Klaus said to them with wide and glimmering eyes.

“Which would be?” Harry quietly said behind Stefan.

“Well, my dear, you see… I’ve done the very thing my _mother_ feared I would. What most goody-two-shoes witches have tried to kill me over! I’ve… spread my blessing… I’ve made more _hybrids!”_ Klaus said with zeal. The newly minted hybrids behind him all stared in horror at the revelation, just the same as Stefan and Harry had done to Klaus’ face.

“You made… hybrids?! You turned those wolves… that’s why?” Stefan questioned; his face enlightened with an epiphany.

“And there it is!” Klaus said with an ominous smirk, pointing at Stefan’s face. “I knew you’d be the one to understand it! Not even my own brother knew of my plans!”

“But how? I thought that you couldn’t be more than one supernatural creature. I understand why you are, but how can-”

“You can,” Harry answered for him, causing Stefan to look back and Klaus to smirk even wider. “It’s not entirely off base to say that you can’t be some form of hybrid. There is a number, granted they are small, of beings whose blood is of two creatures.”

“I’ve never had the chance to meet many, but that bloke Sanguini sure piqued my curiosity,” Klaus said, watching with a knowing eye as Harry looked away in what looked like frustration and… sadness almost.

“In any case, we should probably move on from this little supernatural 101 lesson,” Klaus said as he sped to Harry, grabbing his arm. However, as he did that, Stefan turned and jutted his hand out to grab Klaus’. The three were still, the vampire and the original in some sort of standoff with one another.

“Stefan, buddy… I’d take your hand back if I were you,” Klaus said, a hint of venom in his words that set off the compulsions in Stefan’s head. The vampire quickly took his hand back with a glare, as Klaus brought Harry’s close to his mouth. “Love… I’m going to need a little donation, you wouldn’t mind if I take some of your blood, right? Promise it won’t hurt… much.”

Harry glared at Klaus, before taking his hand back and pointing his wand to the corner of his palm. “Diffindo.”

As Harry dragged the wand across his palm, a wound began to appear, slowly followed by the slow drip of his blood. At the scent of it, Stefan’s eyes began to deepen and darken, his vampire addiction kicking in. The Salvatore had to run away from the sweet smell of Harry’s blood, as the wizard finished the gash.

Klaus tilted his head in acknowledgment, picking up a stray beer bottle to collect the essence. “Could’ve made that much more fun love.”

“And I could’ve slashed your throat, which would’ve been even more fun,” Harry dryly joked, averting his eyes to the flirtatious look Klaus was giving him.

When Klaus thought that Harry had supplied enough, he graciously gave a small bow and pricked his thumb with his fangs, offering it. “Drink up.”

“Arse,” Harry succinctly said as he pressed lips softly against Klaus’ offered hand, extending his tongue to catch the barest of droplets. As soon as his cut had healed, he shrunk back and made his way to stand by Stefan, making sure the vampire was handling himself well.

Turning around, Klaus beckoned the crowd of hybrids to him, offering the beer bottle to the one closest to him. “Take a sip and pass it around.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Doing as ordered, the first hybrid allowed a sip of blood to run down his throat. The euphoric and metallic taste awakened his vampire side, darkening his face and eyes. His sclerae were near black and his eyes shown yellow, just as Klaus’ had months ago on the night, he awakened his hybrid blood. The others followed suit, allowing their new powers to bloom. As the last of the group finished the bottle, one had thrown it to the side, watching in fascination as the bottle shattered on the tree.

“I feel… I feel so much stronger… I feel like I could do anything,” One of the former wolves said as he looked at his hands in newfound wonder. Klaus smirked, walking towards the boy to place his hand on his shoulder.

“That’s the perk of being a hybrid like me. You get the best of both worlds. No transformations on the full moon and no burning in the sun,” Klaus said to the boy as he looked on in excitement at the mention of no transformations.

“That’s fine and dandy… but I need to know… why the hell did you choose us?” One of the more trepidatious members of the pack said, eyeing Klaus with worry.

“No reason in particular…” Klaus said with a devilish grin, “you just happened to be the largest pack this side of the states, and I wasn't about to waste my time on a possibly fruitless endeavor traveling around. Especially with the loads back here that I’m carrying.”

While pointing out his two companions, Klaus had failed to see the darkening of the new hybrids’ eyes as they eyed Harry’s form. In his arrogance, Klaus was unable to react quickly enough to the fast-moving body passing him, making its way towards the wizard. In fact, the three were all unable to react, as, in the blink of an eye, Harry’s throat was nipped by one of the hybrids. In their collective shock, Stefan and Klaus immediately went into action. Stefan grabbed Harry and sped him away, while Klaus had plunged his hand into the hybrid’s chest, snatching his heart and ending his short post-mortal life.

Klaus looked at said heart in confusion, furrowing his brow as he tried to decipher why the man had attacked Harry. When he failed to postulate an answer, Klaus looked up, only to see the other hybrids looked as rabid and menacing as the one who had attacked Harry had looked. Klaus watched with knitted brows as the hybrids’ eyes began to darken. But, unlike the tell-tale markers of a hybrid’s eye, the darkness ran much farther past the eye area. The veins that normally appeared when a vampire fed had spread all over their faces and their skin had become waxy, even sickly looking.

“Why… why did he smell so good?” One of them asked, his mouth oozing with drool, his form hunched over as if he was stricken with some illness.

“Sorry, mate, but I don't think he’s your type,” Klaus tried to jest, only for the hybrid to mimic his predecessor and attempt to chase after Harry. This time, though, Klaus was prepared and quickly dispatched the next one with a single strike to the neck, cleaving it right off. Klaus shook off the gore and stared at the others, who seemed to devolve even more into the ghoul-like state. “Who’s next?”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

At the declaration, the hybrids simultaneously made one step forward, before scattering out and preventing Klaus from getting to all of them. While he did stop a few from leaving, there were some that had managed to escape his grasp. Standing alone among a pile of heartless and decapitated bodies, Klaus clenched his fist enough to draw blood, before closing his eyes to listen for Harry’s voice.

“Why the fuck did he try and bite me?!” Harry grunted as he held onto Stefan, who was speeding them away from the campsite.

“Hell… if I know,” Stefan said through gritted teeth, trying desperately to ignore the sweet ambrosia of Harry’s blood as it pooled into the hand that was trying to cover the wound.

“Shit… Stefan, we need to stop, now,” Harry declared, to which Stefan followed.

Stopping by the opposite side of the lake, and away from the trees nearest to the bank, Harry took a deep breath, before quickly pointing his wand to his wound and chanting a spell. “Vulnera Sanentur… Vulnera Sanentur… Vulnera Sanentur.”

As he chanted the words, the bite wound began to close up, until it neatly clotted and knitted back up, as if there were no wound there at all. Harry turned towards Stefan, who was still being affected by the blood leftover, and gave the vampire a comforting look as he spelled the blood away.

“You can look now, Stefan,” Harry said gently, giving the vampire a small smile as he watched the vampire’s eyes begin to return to normal.

“I’m sorry, Harry… I-”

“It’s fine. Besides, that isn’t the problem we need to be worrying about. There’s probably a bunch of hybrids after me right now,” Harry said with a sigh, carefully looking at his surroundings.

“There aren’t any over here, I think; at least, I don’t hear them being close. But… they’re definitely on their way here,” Stefan warned coming closer to Harry and surrounding him with a protective stance. But, before Harry could respond, Stefan placed his finger over his mouth, silencing him before he could speak. Focusing his vampire senses, Stefan carefully tracked the rapid footsteps of the hybrids, realizing that one was getting dangerously close to their location. Staring in the direction, Stefan began to walk towards the noise he was hearing, with Harry close behind him with his wand in hand.

Hearing a tree branch snap, Stefan speedily reacted by pushing Harry back as a hybrid launched itself at them. Using every bit of power in his body, Stefan tried to drag back the mindless beast as it attempted to attack Harry. Struggling greatly, Stefan tried to move his hands to the hybrid’s neck in order to snap it; but he realized his mistake too late as the hybrid tilted its head down and took a chunk of flesh off of Stefan’s wrist. Staggering back from being injured with a potentially fatal bite, Stefan was unable to hold back the hybrid as it pounced on Harry. Thankfully, Stefan had given Harry enough time to get his bearings and allowed him to prepare a spell.

“Bombarda!” Harry yelled, focusing the epicenter of the explosion in the center of the hybrid’s neck. In one second, a bright light shot from Harry’s wand, and in the next, the hybrid’s head had been violently blasted off. While Harry was able to have one small moment of victory, succeeding over the hybrid, the wizard soon realized all was most definitely not well. The blast, while effective, had rung out a loud noise, one that would surely attract the rest of the hybrids. Another problem had arisen in his mind as he made his way closer to Stefan, noticing the bite mark on Stefan’s wrist.

“Stefan-”

“Klaus can fix it later. Right now, we have to focus on getting you the hell away from here!” Stefan said through haggard breaths, already starting to feel the effects of the venomous wolf bite spreading. Harry gave him an unsure look, to which Stefan gave him an assuring look back. Offering his hand, Stefan took Harry’s and boosted himself off the ground.

“We can try and outrun them, but I might not be strong enough to get us very far,” Stefan said, trying to listen for the fast approaching hybrids.

“I can try and Apparate us to somewhere safe… maybe back to the hotel?” Harry offered.

“Apparate?” Stefan asked.

“The teleporting thing I did when I… you know… kidnapped your girlfriend,” Harry said with a small smile, trying to lighten the rapidly dampening mood.

“Can you go that far?” Stefan asked in response, offering a small smile back, before getting serious again.

“I’ve traveled much farther before. It shouldn’t be a problem, so long as I have a clear image of it in my head,” Harry explained.

Nodding his head, Stefan offered his hand. Harry, taking it, focused on the image of the hotel they were staying at the previous night. Focusing his magic, Harry felt the familiar pull as he and Stefan were ripped from where they stood. One second, they were in the forest, and the next, they were being pulled through a rubber tube. As the magic roared around them, Harry held on tight to Stefan, interlocking their fingers strongly. In the next moment, they were spat out into the room they had stayed in, landing on the floor.

Staggering up, the pair gave each other a meaningful look, until Stefan’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. The vampire flailed back onto the bed, letting out a grunt of pain as he felt the fiery venom of the hybrid spread even further through his body.

“Stefan!” Harry screamed, running towards the prone vampire.

The last thing that Stefan had heard was the cry of someone out to him. In his venom-addled mind, the voice became an echo of three very familiar voices in his life. The screams of his name and the voices behind them became indiscriminate. A feminine cantor echoed into a deep-set growl, which in turn echoed into a sharp, but soft, lilt.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Klaus, frustrated with the turn of events, angrily tossed the decapitated heads of his newly turned hybrids towards the bonfire he had set, fueled by the bodies of the rest of said hybrids. He had spent the entire day hunting them down in the forest, quickly making work of each one without any snags or delays; well, all but one of them. As he finished lobbing the last head, Klaus quickly turned towards the last remaining hybrid, who was chained to the tree. In a show of deep irony, the hybrid had ended up, on the night of the full moon, chained to the tree and unaware of his actions.

Walking towards the now almost zombie-like former wolf, Klaus grit his teeth as he angrily pondered what went wrong. But his machinations were interrupted by the familiar sound of his phone ringing. Taking it out and looking at the Caller ID, Klaus answered the call.

“I’m glad you’re safe, darling. Wouldn’t have wanted you to get hurt-”

“Klaus, you need to come back to the hotel. Now.” Harry said seriously.

“Now, how did you get there?” Klaus asked, mockingly.

“Klaus… Stefan got bit by one of the hybrids,” Harry admitted, causing Klaus to still for a moment. Looking at the hybrid in front of him, Klaus contemplated something for a second, before his other hand shot out and wrapped itself around the neck of the last remaining pack member. Squeezing as hard as he could, Klaus made quick work of the hybrid as he severed the neck with strength alone. Throwing the head over his shoulder and into the fire, Klaus made his way towards the car as the fire continued to burn.

“I’ll be there soon, love. Make sure he’s comfortable and _confined,”_ Klaus said, ending the call as he roared the car to life.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“It’s ok, Stefan. You’ll be fine…” Harry said as he gently wiped the sweat off of his brow. The wizard had levitated the vampire into a better position, placing him vertical on the bed.

“What’s… where am I?” Stefan gruffly let out; his breathing labored. “I don’t… Harry?”

“Yeah, it’s me, Stefan. You got… bit earlier, by a hybrid,” Harry said to him, “I brought us to the hotel, and Klaus is on his way.”

“Klaus…” Stefan muttered out.

Smiling softly, Harry patted off a bit more of the perspiration off of his brow. “Yeah, the raging dick-bag who got us into this mess. He’s coming with his anti-werewolf-venom blood to save the day.”

Stefan merely nodded his head, but Harry couldn’t tell if he genuinely understood what he was saying, or just going along with things. Brushing some hair away from his face, Harry gave a long sigh.

“You’re really pretty,” Stefan admitted through his intakes of breath. Harry, blushing a bit, looked to the side and smiled a bit.

“Mm, I’m gonna peg that as the prattles of a vampire on his… second death bed,” Harry hummed to himself to excuse Stefan’s compliment.

“Don’t… sell yourself short… Harry. Sometimes… I can’t stop… looking at you, even when I know I shouldn’t,” Stefan further complimented, making Harry cough a bit, before fully standing up to turn around.

“Thank you… Stefan, I appreciate the compliment. But… I’d rather you say that sober and healthy…” Harry said as he stepped away, hearing a familiar car engine enter the parking lot of the hotel.

“He thinks you’re pretty too…” Stefan said though Harry pretended not to hear that as he opened the door to let Klaus know where they were.

The second the car engine had shut off Klaus has used his enhanced speed to make his way up to their room. Giving him a sharp glare, Harry stepped aside to allow Klaus inside. Stomping over to Stefan, Klaus was quick to bite into his wrist and offered it to Stefan, who gladly took it. Draining a bit of Klaus’ blood, Stefan could feel the burn of the werewolf venom dissipate and his mental capacity returns to normal. When he felt like he had completely healed, Stefan slowly moved Klaus’ arm away, nodding in thanks.

After making sure Stefan was fine, Klaus turned toward Harry who was eyeing Stefan and ignoring him. “You ok, love? Do you need-”

“What I need is for you to cut the shit,” Harry harshly said, interrupting Klaus, “you are the _entire_ reason why this happened. You are the fucking reason either of us is getting hurt! We had lives before _you!_ Stefan had a life in Mystic Falls; I had a life before- before I was taken to you!”

“Love, you’re clearly upset, and I-”

“Don’t you dare say you understand! Because you don’t! You have… _all_ the power in this situation. If you cared so much about us, enough to drop everything to make sure we were ok, then why don’t you just let us go?! You’re a selfish, egotistical piece of shit! You have no right to control our minds, nor have you any right to look into our heads!” Harry yelled, causing Stefan to stir in his relaxed state.

“Love-”

“Stop calling me that! You have no right to call me that!” Harry said as tears began to form in his eyes, glistening in the moonlight he was being bathed in from the open window. Klaus kept his mouth shut after that, choosing to let Harry let out his grievances.

“You have… you don’t get to act as if you care about me. I know you think I’m just some wand to use, that I-” Harry tried to say before Klaus sped to push him against the wall by the door.

Grunting from the impact, Harry tried to grab his wand, only for Klaus to beat him to it and throw it away from him. But, before he could do or say anything, a quick breeze blew on Harry; rather, Stefan had gotten up and pushed Klaus away from him. Stumbling back, Klaus eyed the pair; Stefan, one of his arms covering Harry in a protective manner, and Harry himself, who was leaning on the wall with more tears, but still holding a glare.

Without prompting, Klaus strode towards the door, but not before pausing to whisper to the two of them with his head down. “I care… I do. You may not think it, but… I do.”

And with that, the Original had sped away to who knew where, leaving the wizard and vampire to deal with the emotional fallout.

“He sure has a funny way of showing it,” Harry said, the tears in his eyes deciding to fall. Shifting his wet eyes to Stefan, Harry became overwhelmed and a torrent of held-back emotions making their way to the forefront. Stepping forward, Stefan met him halfway, entering into an embrace. Stefan rubbed Harry’s back in a comforting manner as the wizard cried into Stefan’s shirt.

“Harry, he wasn’t ly-” Stefan tried to tell Harry, who just held him tighter.

“I know.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Call the shipping yard and tell them to transfer number five to the warehouse in Chicago. I’ll be meeting you there to pick it up,” Klaus commanded to one of his sired vampires on the phone. The hybrid was leaning on the wall at the back of the hotel, trying to cool off from his confrontation with Harry.

“But… sir isn’t that-”

“Yes, I know,” Klaus succinctly said, “but, it seems as though there has been a snag in my plans. I have a feeling it may have to do with meddling of the… _magical_ variety. And, well, who better to get magical advice from than my darling magic-obsessed _little brother_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNN! Did you guys see that coming? Maybe? Oh well... anyway, it's gonna be a trip when they get to Chicago! Harry's pissed off at Klaus, Klaus is pushing his feelings away and hurting Harry, and Stefan's just trying to mediate the two! Lot's of drama and more to come, next time... on The Vampire Diaries ;)


	10. Unethically Obtained Designer Shoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry hits Klaus where it really hurts; his wallet. All the while, Klaus decides to have a bit of a family reunion, the Gilberts discuss Bonnie's fate, and a certain vampire pays a visit to her favorite Salvatore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Nothing too wild in this, except for some fun family meetings! Oh, and some fat LORE drops that'll be important later on.
> 
> Now it's time to have a small discussion on the logistics of updating this. I'm *hoping* to keep these updates consistent with a chapter every two weeks, but we'll see. I'm really inspired for this fic, and I don't have to go back as much to the source material as I did for Damned, so that won't slow me down as much as it did for that first fic (one day.... one day it'll be back).
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the chapter!! If you have any questions or catch something I didn't, plz let me know (but be nice!)

_“Seven galleons! Seven galleons and this scepter dug from the sands of Egypt can be yours!” an inconspicuous merchant chanted as he tried to sell his stock to the straggling occupants of Hogsmeade. As the man actively swung the scepter around to anyone that would spare a look, he was struck still as he watched a wizard with peculiar green eyes approach; green eyes that were known to most of the magical world, if not knowing their true luster, then at least in the know of their vibrancy. The arresting looks that said eyes were a part of were nothing to scoff at either, though if you had the chance to ever tell him that, he’d surely blush a lovely shade of rose and tell you to stop._

_Such is the personality of one Harry James Potter; sweet, humble, yet as spunky as one of the Holyhead Harpies._

_“You sure a thing like that is seven galleons?” Harry asked in jest, quirking one eyebrow up._

_“I can assure y-you m-mister P-Potter, this scepter is an ancient relic of the wizards of old! It was given to me with the knowledge that it was even older than the first vampire!” The merchant boasted, puffing out his chest in a comic manner._

_“First vamp-”_

_“I can assure you that scepter is nothing more than a fancy pleasure toy. I highly doubt that something as important as this man is selling to you would be in the hands of a backstreet merchant,” An accented voice spoke, interrupting him from behind._

_Straightening up, Harry gave a soft chuckle to himself, already knowing who that voice belonged to. “What brings someone like you to, in your words, ‘the shithole also known as’ Hogsmeade, hm?”_

_“Well, if I get to be in the presence of the most salivating wizard this side of the equator, then perhaps squandering my robes is worth it,” Sanguni answered his sometimes lover with a mysterious glint in his eyes._

_“Why are you here, San?” Harry asked, tilting his head, and completely forgetting the merchant, who looked perturbed that a sale was ruined._

_“To visit you, my sweet. I come with a proposal,” Sanguni said, speeding towards Harry and whispering the next part in his ears for him alone, “how’s about we go back to my place of stay. I’ve missed that delectable body of yours.”_

_“Lead the way.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry softly rolled his neck, waking up from a dream… rather, a memory. It had been hours since he last rested, and he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to get some sleep in. Granted, he had the ulterior motive of trying to ignore one bullheaded Hybrid, and sleep was the perfect excuse to not have him try to apologize. Last night had been one of the most emotionally explosive nights he'd ever had the displeasure of being a part of. However, as emotionally draining as it was, it felt almost liberating to air his grievances after being forced to ignore them for so long. Klaus had it coming, and the hybrid had no ground to stand on if he so much as tried to gaslight him again.

“We’ll be arriving shortly. I suspect you two may not want to-”

“Be with you for the entire day? If that’s what you were going to say, then I agree wholeheartedly,” Harry mumbled, earning a soft chuckle from Stefan.

“Right… I’ll be at the docks for most of the day, and most likely well into the evening. I’ve booked us a room at a nice hotel. I’m sure you can manage to stay out of trouble without me,” Klaus said with a bit of a gruff tone, clearly miffed somewhat at Harry’s standoffishness.

“Not that I’m interested, but what will you be doing? I’m guessing there was a reason for the last-minute trip to Chicago?” Harry asked, scowling as he eyed the small smirk on the edge of Klaus’ mouth starting to form.

“It’s a bit of a surprise, lov- Harry,” Klaus said, correcting himself a bit at the end. That bit earned a slight widening of Harry’s eyes before he quickly hid his astonishment and looked away. Smirking at getting somewhat of a less ‘I’m upset at you and will continue to bitch’ attitude from Harry, Klaus turned to the last exit that preceded their hotel.

The proceeding events were similar to all the other times they’d travel to a new abode; getting to the receptionist table, compelling a full course of amenities, and finally, Klaus flexing his ego a bit and using a black card to pay for it all, despite the fact that he didn’t even need to. It always made the other two roll their eyes, even though neither ever complained about the full course meals or simply nice hot showers, for when their chosen place of stay was less than savory.

As they got into the elevator and pressed the button to go up to their floor, of which was the highest and contained the most expensive room, Harry began to gravitate towards Stefan, with the vampire not minding the wizard entering his orbit. The night before had been an unintentional bonding moment, for more reasons than one. Besides their mutual abhorrence to being mind-fucked by Klaus, the two, rather just the vampire, had shared some things that should have warranted some discomfort for both parties, given one of their relationship statuses. But it seemed as though beyond the haze of his then-impending werewolf-venom-induced death, Stefan wasn’t all that perturbed at sharing his… attraction to Harry.

Two, going on three, months of constant proximity would make anyone sneak a longing glance or two at another party. It didn’t help that Harry was indeed _very_ pretty and that Stefan, and though he’d never say, Klaus, would be hard-pressed to find another living being with eyes like his.

Still, there was his life in Mystic Falls and his life with Elena. Stefan had no clue the next time, if ever, that he’d see Elena again. She brought about in him a long-forgotten drive of passion and ferocious protectiveness, something he hadn’t experienced since… well since a certain blonde back in the 1800s. But she was long gone, and so too were those feelings, until Elena… and now, Harry. _Maybe_. He was still trying to reconcile whatever the hell he was feeling, beyond the very surface-level attraction he had to the wizard. If he were to stick around for a long while, well… Harry was definitely _not_ the worst company he could think of having along for the ride.

As the elevator dinged and spit out the trio onto a very luxurious hallway, Klaus led the two to the two doors, adorned with gold inlay and ornamentation. If he wasn’t long passed his school spirit days, he’d be absolutely over the moon with all the lions around. Walking into the room, Harry let out a bit of a yawn before stretching and falling back onto one of the two beds in this part of the penthouse suite. It was very early in the morning, and Harry had only slept for the eight-hour car ride from Tennessee. He was tired and sore from the harsh springs of their previous hotel’s beds, so the soft cushion of the bed here was very much welcome.

“I’ve got to head out, so stay, rest, do whatever your heart’s desire. I’ll call if there are any issues,” Klaus said, already heading towards the door despite just getting here. Harry let out a fake cough, getting Klaus’ attention. Holding his hand out expectantly, Harry caused Klaus to quirk an eyebrow.

Sighing out in an exaggerated manner, Harry fiddled with his sleeve to get his wand from its holster, before saying a simple spell. “Accio Klaus’ black card.”

From the back pocket of the hybrid sprung his credit card, which then flew towards Harry’s waiting hands.

Turning his head towards Stefan with a look on his face, which Stefan reciprocated with a shrug, Klaus then turned to Harry. “You have a vampire with you, Harry. Not to mention you can use your magic to get whatever you need. So, why the bloody fuck do you need my card?”

“Well, to answer your first statement, I know. But Stefan’s still exhausted, and I don’t want to stress him even more and force him to compel me some new clothes, especially when he’s running on fumes. Merlin knows I don’t want to have to Obliviate a store owner because Stefan couldn’t get it up, so to speak,” that statement earned a harsh reddening on Stefan’s face, to which he turned slightly to hide, “besides, I’m still very cross with you. Draining some of the funds you’ve been accruing for hundreds of years is my way of inflicting some very much earned karma back at you, how little it may be. I’m sure a shoe, or a dozen, won’t make that much of a dent to the Mikaelson fortune.”

“You are testing me, Harry. But I’ll allow it if it’ll put you in a better mood,” Klaus said with a very clearly forced smile, before speeding away.

Looking to Stefan with a smirk, Harry let out a soft laugh, which then devolved into full-on chuckling as he fiddled with the card in his hand. “So, Stefan, have you ever wanted to buy a store? Or three?”

Stefan smiled a very dashing smile at Harry, who paced towards the vampire to hook his arms around the others. Leading both of them towards the elevator, Harry had a very mischievous look on his face.

“Why do I get the feeling that he’ll be _feeling_ that,” Stefan said while gesturing to the card in Harry’s hand, “the next time he sees us?”

“Because you have _brains_ to back up your looks, Stefan. Now, come on and let’s make this bastard pay for it, _literally.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Klaus stared at the casket for five minutes, soaking in the scent of decay and water-soaked wood. It was a tough task, getting his brother’s daggered body transferred to Chicago, especially on such short notice. But he needed to know; he needed to know why his plans were being meddled with, and by _who._ And his brother, as psychotic and uncontrollable as he was, was the one person, other than his mother, who he could trust the judgment of with regards to magic. Still, the concept of un-daggering Kol, especially since he’d been in this state for over two hundred years, weighed on Klaus’ mind.

He thought of any other alternative to his plight; perhaps Gloria, his favorite witch in town, could give him answers, or perhaps he could get her to invade Kol’s twisted mind for an answer. Really, there were most likely a hundred different variant plans that Klaus could enact, all of which would avoid the inevitable tantrum Kol would have; a tantrum that wouldn’t end well for the citizens of Chicago, nor for his favorite wizard.

_Harry._ Kol would very much like the wizard; for what, he knew not. But he tended to assume the worst when it came to his brother’s taste. He’d be gambling the wizard’s life, _again_ , by involving his brother, and he knew Harry wouldn’t forgive him, especially not with the ways Kol could do damage to someone. He’d have to hope that his reflexes were fast enough and that Kol’s fascination with the wizard would be enough to curb his bloodlust.

“Sir?” An unnamed vampire who he didn’t remember asked from a far enough distance, “I- I’ve brought the blood bags you asked for. They’re fresh from a blood drive in downtown Chicago.”

“You can put them over there,” Klaus said, gesturing to the stack of boxes near the side of the casket. The vampire looked pale, before forcing his legs to move, one step at a time, towards the boxes. Setting them down, the vampire tried to respectfully _get the fuck out of there,_ before Klaus sped to him, grasping his neck in a chokehold. Staring into the eyes of the vampire, Klaus began to utter a command.

“You’ll forget this ever happened. Klaus Mikaelson did not call you, and you went to the shipyards and warehouses in order to fuck a pretty lady, before tearing out her neck. Clear?” Klaus said in a smooth voice, his pupils dilating in a hypnotic fashion.

The vampire nodded, before speeding away. Klaus clicked his teeth, before walking towards the casket. Inhaling and exhaling roughly, Klaus placed his hand on the dagger, before slowly pulling out. But, before he pulled it out all the way, Klaus gave one final look to the desiccated face of his brother.

“I hope you are sated enough now, after centuries of bloodshed. There’s a particular body that I’d rather you not drain dry. You’ll probably like him, as he’s quite charming,” Klaus whispered, “… don’t make me regret this, little brother.”

And with that, Klaus pulled the dagger all the way out and watched as the desiccation receded.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“What the hell do you mean by _vessel?_ Why the fuck can’t you give a straight answer for once?!” Jeremy angrily asked his uncle, demanding a non-coded answer from the man who had only ever interacted with them through mysterious riddles and half-truths.

“I mean that the spell she did, the one that the Original vampire Elijah Mikaelson gave her, turned her into a vessel of sorts. Magic like she had… that doesn’t come from the earth… at least, not _our_ earth,” John answered, enraging Jeremy even more, as he upturned a chair and threw it, before being caught by Jenna.

“Jeremy!” Jenna said in a clipped tone, causing the boy to simmer down a bit.

“Now, while my darling nephew is angry, he has a point. I should remind you that you owe us, _all of us,_ for the things you did. To Jeremy, to Elena, to me, to… Alaric,” Jenna said, pausing to allow Ric to compose himself at the reminder of his ex-wife, “I’m _undead_ because you kept me in the dark. Ric’s ex-wife is _dead_ because you got her involved in your plans. Elena’s boyfriend is missing because you didn’t warn us about Klaus. We’ve all been fucked by you, so drop the mysterious bullshit and give us a straight answer.”

John sighed, rolling his eyes up to Alaric, who gave the man a blank stare. Chewing part of his lip, Elena’s biological father reached down into his duffel bag, before returning with a large and old book.

“This is a grimoire, one used by another Bennet witch far removed from Bonnie. In it is this spell,” John said as he opened the grimoire to a specific page, “that allows someone of Bennet blood to commune with spirits.”

“So, she… what? Did a seance and got possessed?” Elena naively asked, turning her head slightly.

“It’s not as simple as that, Elena. It’s one thing to contact the spirits. Every witch I’ve run into can do it to a degree. What makes this spell much different, is that it’s _old,_ as in it predates America, old. Not only that, but it got her an _audience_ with the spirits, and they let her borrow magic from their _earth._ Magic like that… it’s much darker than anything you’ve probably ever seen her or Sheila do. It’s drenched in _death,_ and for a witch who’s alive-”

“It’s killing her,” Alaric finished for him, earning a nod from John.

“And to rub salt on the wound, she pissed them off by failing to kill Klaus. What I gather, from what you’ve told me, is that she’s being attacked on two fronts. First, she has magic in her that she shouldn’t; second, she has the wrath of hundreds of witches against her,” John finished, leading to Elena letting out a whimper for her friend, while her brother slammed the table.

“When- when she had her episode, the first one in her room, she was screaming… I thought it was just because of pain, but now… I think… I think one of the spirits must have visited her. She was staring at something the entire time and… god...” Elena tried to finish before she broke out into tears, leaning into her aunt who comforted her.

“How do we fix this,” Alaric said for the Gilbert’s, knowing none of the three could ask in their varying states of distress.

“Probably an exorcism of magic, cleanse her body and purge the death magic from her. As for the spirits… well… for a witch like her, the spirits are sort of her guardian angels, in a demented way. Her magic comes from them, and with her on their radar… she’d have to be completely purged of her connection to _magic_ for them to leave her alone. And that’s… a decision that I don’t think we should be making for her,” John said, standing for a moment, before picking up his bag and placing the grimoire back inside of it. Zipping it up, the Gilbert man nodded to Alaric, before graciously leaving to allow the family to talk.

“So… what do we do? We have to help her, and if-” Jeremy tried to say, before getting choked up over his girlfriend’s plight.

“We need to call her dad. It’s best if he makes those decisions, not us,” Alaric rationally said.

“She hasn’t spoken to him in a long time, Ric,” Jenna told the man.

“She’s still his daughter.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“I’ll take the blue, the green, and- oh! Stefan, what do you think?” Harry beckoned, holding up two pairs of beautifully handcrafted shoes, “alligator or cow?”

Chuckling at the obvious joke, Stefan soaked in the jovial energy Harry was emitting since the two had taken this boutique by storm. “How about both?”

Harry’s eyes lit up, before turning to the owners and asking them to bring out all the shoes he needed in his size. Once the pair were gone in the back, Harry turned to Stefan and smirked. Sauntering to the seated vampire, Harry gracefully plopped himself on Stefan’s lap, with said vampire shifting slightly to accommodate the wizard. Leaning back so that his head was on Stefan’s shoulders, Harry let out a soft laugh.

“Do you even care about these shoes, Harry?” Stefan mumbled into Harry’s crown of raven hair.

“I could give a hippogriff’s shit about unethically obtained designer shoes. But this is the most expensive boutique in the area, and their specialty is exotic footwear. What better way to piss off Klaus then to make extravagant and arbitrary purchases,” Harry mumbled back, feeling the comfortable warmth that Stefan emitted on his back.

“Well then… count me in for another of the greens,” Stefan said, maneuvering his head so he could look into Harry’s emerald eyes.

“And here I thought you’d be in the depths of despair, Stefan. What would poor Elena think of you shacking up with the guy that helped kidnap her?” A snarky and rough female voice said behind the two of them. Recognizing who the voice belonged to, Stefan let out a sharp exhale before rolling his eyes.

Leaning into the chair behind him, the arms that he had wrapped around Harry fell to the side. “Katherine.”

“In the remarkably perfect and beautiful flesh!” Katherine announced, walking over to the stool beside the pair and sitting down on it. Crossing her legs, she eyed the position Stefan and Harry were in with a funny look, causing Harry to blush and leap up off of Stefan. Quickly walking to the stool across from Katherine, Harry sat himself down and stared down the notorious vampire. 

“What are you doing here?” Stefan asked, leaning his head to the side so he could look at his former flame.

“Well, when I heard you were in town, I just had to check up on you and make sure you were still in one piece. And I am happy to report that your stupidity and hard-headedness hasn’t gotten you killed yet, so I guess that’s a win for Team Petrova Doppelganger,” Katherine said in her classic snippy voice, before turning her head to the wizard. “Nice to see you’re in one piece as well, little wizard.”

“Much… appreciated… I think?” Harry said tepidly.

“Why are you really here, Katherine? You wouldn’t come all this way for me, not when Klaus is this close. What are you after?” Stefan interrogated.

Letting out a sarcastic snicker, Katherine once again stood up to stare out the window. “Klaus had something moved here last night; don’t ask me how I know that, a girl has got to keep her secrets! Anyway, whatever it is, it’s _big.”_

“Big as in?” Harry replied in Stefan’s place.

“Big as in if I can get my hands on it, then I have enough leverage to bargain my freedom. As fun as it is to trot around the world, it fucking sucks that I can’t enjoy it for fear of one of Klaus’ vampires spotting me,” Katherine grunted, holding out her hand to inspect her perfectly manicured nails.

“Well I hate to break it to you, but Klaus is already at the warehouse. Didn’t say what was there, but that he needed to be there as soon as possible,” Harry explained to Katherine, who quirked her head to the side, before shutting her eyes in clear frustration. But, as quick as the moment came, it was gone, and the grandiose facade of Katherine Pierce was once again set.

“Well, that certainly changes things a little. Looks like I’ll have to try again with something else,” Katherine said, making her way to the door.

“The Katherine I know wouldn’t give up that easily,” Stefan said, not looking at her leaving.

Smiling, Katherine turned around one last time to face the pair. “You know me so _well_. But, unless you want to help me steal from the world’s most dangerous vampire, I have other business to attend to.”

“Oh, and Harry? I think the green would go amazingly with your eyes,” Katherine said, before speeding out the door. Giving Stefan a slightly confused look, Harry was about to ask something before the boutique owners chose that moment to reappear.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Bright. Humidity. Wood. These were the first things to hit Kol’s senses as the second youngest Original awoke. He felt the blood that had been stagnant and congealed in his veins begin to move again, with the beating of his heart. Oh. His heart was beating now too, which meant…

“Welcome back brother,” Klaus said, leaning back against the racks of storage behind him. The Original hybrid tilted his head, watching for the way Kol would react to being freed. As the vampire sat up from his coffin, he looked at his surroundings. Sniffing the air, scrunching his eyes, licking his lips; Klaus watched as the five primal senses returned to his youngest sibling.

“You couldn’t have chosen another coffin for me, brother? You know how much I loathe mahogany, much too cliché for us,” Kol said, rubbing the line where the padding of the coffin met the darkened wood.

“Apologies. But you know how hard it is to take care of such things, especially when you are under duress,” Klaus carefully answered.

Letting out a single chuckle, Kol turned to Klaus as he slowly made his way outside the coffin. Turning to the bags of blood, Kol sniffed the air before pointing to them. “Are these things for me?”

“Of course. It comes fresh and with best regards from the ‘Fight to Save Lives’ blood drive in downtown Chicago,” Klaus answered as Kol picked one up. Enclosing his mouth around what he figured was the opening, Kol instantly drained the bag, his eyes becoming a familiar dark and veiny visage.

Once it was fully drained of every drop, Kol threw the bag to the side, before grabbing the others and draining them dry as well. “Wonderful little inventions these things are, aren’t they? Little bags full of blood, all for our nourishment.”

Klaus gave a tight smile to his brother, before further conversing with him. “Yes, they are. But I’d make sure to clean up after yourself,” Klaus said as he gestured to Kol’s pile of blood bags, “that’s very frowned upon these days; leaving your trash out for others to clean up after you.”

With that simple statement, Kol gave the man a simple smile, before speeding back to break off a piece of wood from the coffin and launching it towards the hybrid. Klaus was able to dodge it and was successful in dodging all the subsequent makeshift stakes that were thrown at him. When Kol had run out of salvageable wood, he glared at Klaus before launching himself at his brother. The two fought with punches and kicks, with Kol’s ferocious attacks being bolstered by his anger.

“You daggered me! Again! You don’t get to play the older brother! You have no right to judge!” Kol yelled in between punches.

Catching one particular punch, Klaus twisted the right hand of his brother until he heard a snap, which then was followed by Kol screaming out in momentary pain. “I’m a bit sick of hearing that I have ‘no right’ to do certain things, so apologies if I get too carried away with this spanking, _little brother_!”

In his temporary state of weakness, Klaus kicked the vampire’s feet from under him, causing him to fall to the ground. Grabbing his other non-broken hand, Klaus secured both behind the younger Original’s back, incapacitating him.

“Let me go! Let me go!” Kol screamed as he struggled against Klaus’ hold.

“Are you going to keep acting like a petulant child? Or can we discuss things like grown men?” Klaus grunted as he held the vampire down. After a few more moments of struggling, Kol began to relax in Klaus’ hold. After Klaus had deemed him settled enough, he released his hold to allow Kol’s arm to heal properly.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Rubbing his healing wrist, Kol stood up and turned to face Klaus. After a minute, Klaus held out his hand, to which Kol grabbed and closed the distance between them, hugging his older brother. Patting his back, Klaus separated them, looking into Kol’s eyes. “It’s been a while, brother.”

“It has been, huh,” Kol said with regret in his voice, “so, what’s on your mind, brother? You wouldn’t have released me from my solitary prison if it weren’t for a good reason.”

“I would have…” Klaus said somberly, “eventually, when everything was right… I wanted us to be whole again, a _family.”_

“Something tells me it isn’t the right time yet, is it? Where’s… father?” Kol asked as he made a place next to Klaus.

“Father is taken care of… for now. A witch in Mystic Falls had made sure of that, I believe. But my problem does not lie with our father. It lies with… a different issue, a much more selfish one,” Klaus admitted.

“Who are you but the most selfish person I know, brother. I wouldn’t have guessed it any other way,” Kol jested, “now then, can you just tell me what it is?”

“My… my curse. Do you remember what you knew of it?” Klaus asked after a moment of reflective silence.

“Of course, mother bound your werewolf side to a rather ugly looking rock,” Kol said with a small smile that was reciprocated by Klaus, “and you’ve been searching for the Petrova Doppelganger in order to unbind it.”

“And, with the way you so easily broke my wrist, I take it you’ve already solved that issue?” Kol presumed.

“Yes; granted, I did take a bit of an unorthodox route to my freedom,” Klaus explained to Kol’s curious eyes, “rather than use the formal way of breaking the curse, the one you had discovered for me, I had utilized the skills of a very… interesting _wizard_.”

At that last admission, Kol’s eyebrows skyrocketed to his forehead. “A _wizard_? How in the hell did you get one of them to help _you_ out? They hate anything that doesn’t wag a wand around!”

Chuckling at the thought of Harry ‘ _wagging his wand around’,_ Klaus explained to Kol about how he had procured Harry’s assistance. “Harry isn’t like that… though, I do concede that he wasn’t exactly willing to help me. Not without-”

“A little compulsion?” Kol guessed. Nodding his head, Klaus watched as Kol whistled. “They’re notorious for being nutters about their minds. I guess a congratulation is in order for besting one of them to do your dirty work.”

“Don’t say that in front of him, or he’ll probably blast you into the ocean, where not even _I_ could save you,” Klaus joked.

“You left him _alive_?” Kol questioned.

“Not just alive, but also traveling with me. I believe that at this very moment, he is spending some of our fortunes to spite me,” Klaus said, earning a voracious laugh from Kol.

“I’d love to meet… the mortal being who can… cross you like that and _live,”_ Kol said between wheezing laughter.

“It’s all very funny, but it isn’t why I brought you back,” Klaus said, sobering the peaceful moment between brothers, “there’s something wrong. I can’t… I can’t turn them.”

“Them…? Wait… you’re trying to turn wolves? I told you that it was impossible!” Kol admonished Klaus.

“It’s not… I’ve had dozens of witches who’ve confirmed to me that it was possible to use my blood in order to turn wolves into… hybrids. But, when I tried it for the first time, something went wrong… they came back _wrong,”_ Klaus said slowly.

“Well, of course! Hybrids can only exist when loopholes in nature are exploited! Turning a wolf as you would a human won’t yield anything but disaster! I’ve told you this!” Kol argued.

“And I’m telling you this now: I can, I _know_ I can. But what happened wasn’t a product of a failed experiment! Someone or something was interfering with it!” Klaus told Kol. “You know I trust you, right? You’re the most knowledgeable person I know when it comes to magic. Not even the witches of today can hold a candle to your know-how. I _know_ you can help me figure out what’s happening with my hybrids.”

“Then… tell me what happened,” Kol simply said. As Klaus readied his explanation, the hybrid made sure to keep his tone even. So far, his brother had been very civil, bar their fight moments ago, and he would very much like to keep it that way. His brother’s volatile nature was still a factor in all this, so he’d have to tread carefully.

“It was all fine, like how I’d imagined it. They came back as any normal mortal would, and… their eyes. They had _my_ eyes. I knew it was working! But when I fed them blood to complete the transition… something happened. Their eyes started to become darker, and they looked sickly like I’ve never seen any living being look like. Ever. They went feral, chasing after the only other living thing around the area,” Klaus explained.

“Your wizard…” Kol said.

“Yes… he was lucky enough to get away,” Klaus returned.

Looking at the winding of his two hands, Kol went through his mental library of magical and occult knowledge, searching for anything that could help his brother. He would have never guessed he’d be here, after all this time, helping his bastard of a brother. But, sure enough, time had healed his wounds… for now. So, he thought of everything he could, things that he had learned from his travels across the continents. But in the end, despite all the roads and all the avenues of thought, there was only one thing that he could postulate as the answer to his brother’s woes.

“Whose blood did you use?” Kol asked.

“Harry’s…” Klaus answered.

“And… how exactly did this wizard free you from the curse?” Kol continued on his line of inquiry.

“He traveled to the Other Side and unwound the curse from there. He broke its hold over me from both sides,” At the admission of Harry’s exploits in the Other Side, Kol took a steep intake of breath.

“Klaus… I think I know what’s happened,” Kol said, with Klaus twisting so he could view Kol’s face.

“What?”

“It seems that even in death, our Mother remains a pain in the side,” Kol answered back, earning a curiously _strained_ look from Klaus.

“I believe that there isn’t anything necessarily wrong with your blood, nor those hybrids of yours. The problem lies with the _wizard._ It seems as though he’s been infected by _their_ side’s magic,” Kol explained, with Klaus’ eyes widening.

“But this isn’t his first time traversing between sides,” Klaus carefully said to Kol, who’s eyes widened a bit.

“Well, whatever his situation might have been then, he certainly wasn’t doing it in service of the Other Side’s public enemy number one. They must have nicked him before he entered back into our world,” Kol laid out.

“So, what do you suppose?” Klaus asked.

“Get a witch to flush the taint out. I’m sure there’s at least one in this day and age that’s powerful enough to exercise him,” Kol said, “has he… exhibited any strange symptoms?”

“Like what?”

“Hallucinations, sickness, anything that would indicate something was wrong?” Kol asked.

Thinking back through their journey, Klaus failed to come up with any moment in time when Harry wasn’t acting normally. “No… I don’t think he has…”

“That’s strange… but still,” Kol said, shaking his head, “you should have him checked out by a witch. And, well… let me tag along since I’d love to meet the mortal who’s got you so wound up.”

“Fine. We should meet them at the hotel room,” Klaus said, standing up to walk towards his car just outside the warehouse.

“Hotel room? So not only are you supplying him with money, but you’ve also arranged room and board for him?” Kol jestingly teased, earning a glare from Klaus.

“Let’s go before I plunge that dagger back inside of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I haven't mischaracterized Kol and his relationship with Klaus. He struck me, given what we find out in The Originals, as someone who feels things at the extreme. But, given the proper amount of attention and respectfulness, he can overcome his craziness and erratic behavior to function somewhat normally. Well, that's how I'll be handling him, so I hope that's fine with you guys! 
> 
> And, let me preemptively say that Kol won't be added as a love interest for Harry (this is less based on this chapter, but the next one, which is already done btw). He'll be very friendly, and tease a lot, but he won't want to get into Harry's pants... well, he might, but not in a relationship way, just in a 'you're powerful and cool, lets fuck' kinda way. Which won't amount to anything but a few compliments at Klaus' expense. Also, he's very much going to be Mr. exposition for the next few chapters, because it just makes sense.
> 
> Anyway, see you guys in two weeks! Stay safe and let me know what you think (but be nice!!!)


	11. I Trust You Can Feel It Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry meets Kol and Gloria; then, shit hits the fan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you guys are doing well! Here's the next chapter! It's a fun one. It introduces some plot points while expanding on others. Also, we get to see Harry and Kol interact, which has been, as of the latest chapter I'm working on (13) been really fun to do. 
> 
> Anyway, here's the chapter! Enjoy! And leave a comment if you want, just be nice :)

“You are an _interesting_ specimen,” Kol said as he eyed Harry up and down, causing the wizard to uncomfortably shift on top of the bed he was currently residing on, “I can see why my brother is so _taken_ by you.”

Blushing, Harry bit his lip with his head off to the side. Stefan watched the vampire they were introduced to just moments after returning to the hotel room with a careful eye. Having one Original with them was dangerous enough, but to have another? They were just asking for trouble, and he’d realize that he’d have to keep an eye on the younger Original, to make sure he didn’t hurt Harry.

“Uh… so, tell me again, Klaus… Why is your _brother_ here? I thought you had to pick up something?” Harry asked innocently, causing Kol to let out a chuckle.

“Oh, dear. It seems as though you’ve been miscommunicating with your companions, brother!” Kol said to Klaus with an infuriatingly sarcastic tone, “for you see… _I_ happen to be that ‘something’ he was picking up. Or, rather, it was my coffin.”

“Coffin?” Stefan asked behind them, holding his gaze even though the vampire turned to face him.

“That’s a little fact about my _dear_ brother that he probably hasn’t shared with you! While my sister, more often than not, ends up falling for boys she shouldn’t, and my one of my brothers has a raging Oedipus Complex, dear Klaus,” Kol said as he gestured to his brother, “has a very bad habit of immobilizing and neutralizing his siblings whenever they act out.”

Harry gave a short look at Stefan, communicating through his expression to ask if the vampire could sense the unspoken bitterness in Kol’s voice, or even understand what they were talking about. Stefan gave him a slight nod as if to convey his uncertainty.

“So… he puts you into coffins?” Stefan asked out of curiosity.

“Oh no! He doesn’t just put us into coffins! He takes grand pleasure in paralyzing our very beings by using a very special type of object, one that can instantly desiccate us as soon as it’s thrust into our hearts!”

“Kol-”

“Give me this brother,” Kol said with a snippy tone, “it’s only right that I warn your companions of the dangers that can occur when you grow… disappointed with them. Although… with how fragile you both are, I assume you’ll just kill them.”

Klaus glared daggers at his brother, while the other two in the room gave cautious looks to the other Original.

“In any case! We have business to attend to! Or, well… you have business to attend to, wizard boy!” Kol said loudly, speeding over to grab Harry’s hand and lead him away. However, at physically interacting with the wizard, Kol had unintentionally activated the protective nature of the other two. Klaus had sped and knocked Kol into the wall, while Stefan came to stand between Harry and the Originals. The wizard looked at where he stood and was reminded heavily of the moments in their past adventures, where he was sent away from the ‘front lines’ and away from danger for ‘his own safety’.

As well-meaning as the gestures were, Harry gave them both a harsh glare, before maneuvering himself over to Kol, whose hand he then willingly took.

“I don’t need to be constantly babied! I’m not made of glass, so stop treating me like it! I may not be immortal, but I have a brain!” Harry said angrily, before dragging Kol out the door and toward the elevator.

Kol looked back at the two and gave a devious smirk, before unlocking his hand from Harry’s and deciding to put his whole arm around the wizard. While this did stun Harry for a moment, he did notice the mischievous look on Kol’s face, so he went along with it. He did appreciate the other two, granted, he’d only openly admit his appreciation for one of them. But still, he was a grown wizard, and he could handle the immortal equivalent to his favorite Hogwarts pranksters.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“So… what’s this about Klaus desiccating you and your siblings?” Harry asked once the elevator closed, and it was just the two of them.

Kol smirked at the wizard, whose eyes began to travel down, stopping at his right hand. “Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about. Say… is that where you keep your wand?”

Harry quirked an eyebrow at the rapid subject change but shrugged it off as part of the off-putting charm of Kol’s personality. Harry suspected that the vampire was probably around his age had he been alive. And from what he could gleam in the mere hour he had been introduced to him; he figured the vampire had intelligence far beyond his appearance if knowing about his wand right away was any indication.

“Yeah, holster keeps it there if I ever need it,” Harry said simply, trying to inject some level of ‘take me seriously because I can burn your face off’ into his words. Though he assumed, by the incredulous look Kol was giving him, that he was putting off more of a ‘puppy barking at a wolf’ kind of vibe.

“Fascinating mortals, you lot are. Wizards have always been the one magical civilization that I’ve been unable to fully understand or learn from. Probably stems from the fact that they hate everyone that isn’t a wand-waving idiot,” Kol said, causing Harry to let out a chuckle in response, “that- and the fact that they probably didn’t want someone with my reputation perusing their ins and outs.”

“I’d lean more towards the magical racism part. Merlin knows that wizards can’t seem to get out of their own asses, so I’m not surprised wizards during those days also had all of their knickers in a twist,” Harry bantered back, causing Kol to reciprocate some laughter.

“Still, it’s utterly fascinating. A subset of magical beings who can draw from their own selves to produce magic. The witches, at least the kind of witches that my family was once a part of, would kill to be so free. Free from the earth, free from the spirits, free from the duties of being the ‘balancers of nature’. You could probably do things that my mother could never dream of, with the right training of course, as my mother was nothing to scoff at, as infuriating as she was,” Kol conversed to Harry.

“I’m sure she had her own bag of tricks,” Harry said in a deflective manner. After some more small talk, the elevator rang, and the two stepped out, only to be met by Stefan and Klaus.

“How did you- wait,” Harry said before stopping his sentence, “did you two… run down the stairs?”

Kol took that moment to burst into laughter, bringing Harry along as he stepped forward. Bringing a hand harshly down onto Klaus’ shoulders, Kol rubbed it in an act of teasing. “The Klaus I knew would’ve let me have my dastardly way with his toys. You’ve certainly changed after all these years!”

Harry huffed a bit at being called a ‘toy’, but he did enjoy the look that Klaus had on his face; admonished and bashful, a far cry from the controlling _dick_ he had been the previous night. It was… fun to see Klaus out of his element, and it provided many opportunities for him to get back at the hybrid. He might not be able to break the compulsion in his mind, but he certainly could tease the hell out of him.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“So… explain to me again… how were you born in the 1900s and still alive today? You said you weren’t a wizard, so…” Harry asked with an expression of apprehension. He couldn’t believe the woman in front of him was over a hundred years old. Sure, he had heard, hell he had _known,_ wizards who were over the age of a hundred; but, to see a non-wizard live that long without being a vampire was… very strange. He took in her visage and searched for something, _anything,_ that would indicate some form of magical concealment, a talisman to hide her true form. But he couldn’t find it, nor feel it, anywhere on her.

The bafflingly young-looking woman looked up and down Harry’s body, raising an eyebrow at his reflective actions towards her. “All you need to know, darling, is that you wizards aren’t the only ones with the secrets of youth and beauty.”

“Of course,” Harry replied, giving her an uncertain look as she gave him the once over again. “Um… what exactly are you looking for, by the way?”

Gloria quirked an eyebrow and pursed her lips, taking a quick glance at Harry, before shifting her eyes to Klaus and then, to Kol. She left out a humorless chuckle before she strutted to the back of her bar, where she dipped down and resurfaced with a giant book, rather, her grimoire. Walking back, she inclined her head, signaling for Harry to move over to the table she had cleared to make room for her grimoire. Opening the giant tome, she waved her hands once over the blank pages, before there seemed to be a thrum of magic in the air surrounding the book.

The pages of the book began to turn, first in a slow manner, before they began to move in a blur. There was a strange gust of wind _inside_ the bar, it too filled with ambient magic. However, this magic had a tinge of something. It was on the tip of Harry’s tongue to where he had felt it before, but he couldn’t quite place where he had felt it before.

Gloria began to chant under her breath as the book began to shift faster. When it finally came to its back end, the book closed shut, before exploding in magic and rapidly moving in reverse, the words that were once hidden bleeding onto each page. It reminded Harry of a _certain_ diary, though he figured this book had much less nefarious magic attached to it… _maybe._ He looked at the witch’s movements and paid attention to the chanting she was doing, hearing the soft mumblings of Latin and, perhaps, a bit of French in there. He looked at her in wonder as the book finally settled, the words clear as day on the page. The witch gave an expectant look at him as she leaned back slightly in her wooden chair, Harry reciprocating with an impressed look on his face.

“Ta-da!” She said with little bravado, crossing her legs and closing her hands in her lap, looking at the crowd of men in her bar.

Kol, in opposition to Harry’s wonderment filled and quizzical stare at Gloria, had a look of skepticism marred on his face. While he figured Harry was experiencing these smoke-and-mirrors much differently than the undead occupants of the room, he could still surmise the goings-on of what she was doing.

And, it was in what she was doing that held his apprehension. He had seen hundreds of witches in his time on the Earth; he observed their rituals, their habits, and their quirks. They were definitely a secretive bunch and hiding their magical paraphernalia was common. What was curious, was that this witch, Gloria as Klaus had introduced her, seemed to take extra care in _showboating_ her little book. For someone who went toe to toe with Klaus in his heyday of carnage, who survived all these years, to make such a _performance_ of her skills, was very odd.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“So, let’s get to business. Klaus here,” Gloria began to speak, gesturing to Klaus who had taken residence on a bar stool, nursing a glass of bourbon in his hand, “has let me know that there might be something wrong with you. I told him a _long_ time ago that breaking his little curse would give him the little army he wanted, so color him surprised when said second-generation of hybrids turns into a bunch of feral mutts.”

“And that has to do with me, because…?” Harry once again asked, turning to Klaus, who in turn gestured with a hunch of his shoulders. Turning back to the witch, he sat silently, waiting for her to explain. 

“Klaus has also informed me that he decided to be a dumbass and break the curse in an off-the-cuff manner. Because of this, I can only guess that his hybrid making has also been affected,” Gloria explained, turning her grimoire to a page near the end of it, “that being said, you fit into all of this because you were Klaus’ little helper. All spells, regardless of how they are made, will always have the same ending when you break them. I’m sure that your people understand this.”

With a shake of his head, Harry went along with her words of wisdom.

“Something is obviously wrong since he should be able to make his hybrids. My guess? Something, or _someone,_ is interfering with the process that binds the original vampire spell to their werewolf bodies; a spell that is bound by the blood of a living person. Now, as you probably also know, all spells have a beginning, a middle, and an end result. The beginning of it? That’s probably fine; since Klaus here has told me he has no trouble turning into the freak of nature that he is, that part of it isn’t the problem. The middle? Those wolves came back, so that isn’t the issue. But the end result, the blood that’s supposed to bind their vampirism? That’s where the problem is,” Gloria said, stringing her theories together and engaging the others’ attention.

“There’s something wrong with my blood?” Harry asked.

“Bingo. Looks like however the hell you broke Klaus’ curse pissed off the witch spirits of this land, and when they’re pissed… well, they definitely let you know,” Gloria said as she once again stood up, this time to go behind her bar and retrieve a piece of paper and a pen.

“How do we fix it… er- me?” Harry asked Gloria as she began to write on the paper.

“Well…” Gloria mumbled a bit as she finished up writing whatever she was on the paper, before passing it to Stefan, who was the closest to her, “Let’s start with you vamps getting me the shit on this list. I’m sure you can be persuasive enough to get it all here.”

Stefan looked up and down the list, scrunching his eyebrows as he read the ingredients the witch required. It was at this moment that Klaus put down his drink and sped over to Stefan, who then passed the paper to the hybrid.

“When do you need these by?” Klaus asked. The witch turned around, before turning back, an unusual glint in her eyes.

“Tonight. Should take me the rest of the day to prepare, and then when you get the shit I need, we can go ahead and purge baby doll eyes here,” Gloria said, ignoring the look of indignation on Harry’s face as he was once again being referred to as a toy.

“Go on, chop-chop!” Gloria said, “me and wizard boy over here need to prepare!”

Stefan gave a short look of concern to Harry, who caught it and returned a small smile. “I’ll be fine here. You, Klaus, and Kol can go off and buy the stuff. Better there be more of you to get things quicker.”

Klaus and Stefan nodded to Harry, as they began to exit the bar. However, one part of their party was not in toe, as Kol had elected to take up the spot formally occupied by Klaus on the bar stool. This earned a look of annoyance from the witch _and_ Klaus.

“Coming, brother?” Klaus asked with a tight tone.

“No… you and the lapdog can be the errand boys. I’ll stay here and watch the proceedings. It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a witch in action, and I’ve sorely missed it,” Kol answered back. Stefan glared at the vampire for calling him a lapdog before Klaus put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

“There are other battles, Stefan. Others that you could _actually_ win,” Klaus said in a whisper, earning an annoyingly smug look on Kol’s face, while Stefan looked like he had eaten a sour candy.

“Have it your way, brother. Let’s go, Stefan,” Klaus said, leading the other vampire out. But, not before Stefan took a quick glance at a photo in the back of the bar. Unfortunately for him, it was too late to investigate it, as Klaus had already sped away.

“You know… when I said vamps, I meant all of you,” Gloria said as she rolled her eyes.

“And I when I said I wanted to watch you, I meant that I wanted to, excuse the literalness, watch you work your magic,” Kol said with a sickeningly sweet smile, which clearly irritated the witch as she huffed passed the vampire and blazed a trail into the back room.

When he was sure she was out of hearing range, Kol took Harry to the farthest table from the doorway she had just entered. Sitting them down, Kol took a good look at Harry, who had been chewing his lip.

“I trust you can feel it _too_. Well, _I_ may not _feel_ it, but I can certainly _tell_ when a magical-being feels it,” Kol asked in a whisper.

Harry looked at him with shifting eyes, before letting out a small breath that he had been holding. “I… think I understand what you mean. That magic she was handling… it was weird, almost like déjà vu. I know I’ve felt it before, I just can’t place where.”

“It seems as though Klaus’ dear Gloria has another agenda,” Kol speculated, earning a small laugh from Harry.

“What gave you that idea? Was it the spectacle of _opening a book,_ or her trying to send off the only other protection I might have against her?” Harry asked sarcastically.

“I can see why Klaus favors you; looks _and_ brains,” Kol joked, standing up to go fetch his drink from the other side of the bar. Harry puffed his cheeks slightly, the reddening and tell-tale signs of embarrassment creeping in on Harry’s face.

Kol turned to face Harry, taking a swig of the bourbon Klaus had left previously. “You know, had I known you back then, I would have stolen-”

Kol tried to continue, but his words felt as though they were being caught, ballooning in his throat. The silence was then followed by a blazing, searing, painful feeling in his veins. He tried to let out a howl of pain, but his forced silence left him heaving out a dry cough. He felt as though the blood flowing through his veins was transforming into cement. Harry’s eyes widened, running to the Original as he crumpled to the floor.

“Kol! Kol! What’s wrong? What’s happening?!” Harry panicked, unknown to the looming figure behind him.

“I used a spell to force the desiccation process in him. May not be permanent, but it gives me enough time to do this!” Gloria said as she swiftly thrust her hand over Harry’s head, sending out a wave of magic after a short incantation.

Harry doubled over in pain, his head feeling like it was being pounded by several jackhammers at once. Before his eyes went to black, the last thing he could see was Gloria giving him a pitiful frown.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Stefan eyed the cars as they passed by; different makes and models, all converging in one of the many intersections within the metropolitan city. He walked silently, a step behind Klaus as the man led them to the first shop that Gloria had ordered them to. He tried to keep his mind focused on the task at hand, but his mind kept shifting to the picture he had seen in the bar. While he wasn’t able to get a good look at it, he could see vague figures that looked all too familiar. And it wasn’t just what was in the picture that caught his eye, rather, it was the feeling that it stirred in him. It was familiar, yet distant. He couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in the back of his head, the same kind of feeling he’d get when Klaus was… poking around in his head.

“Would you like me to do the talking? Or did you waste the last bit of energy getting Harry a pair of shoes?” Klaus said sarcastically, shaking Stefan from his momentary stupor. The hybrid looked at him, gesturing to the slightly dirty door of the apothecary. It was then that Stefan chose to look around at his surroundings, noticing that Klaus had led him into an alleyway off the main street.

“I’m sure you’ll make them piss their pants if you go in there. Let me do it,” Stefan said, grabbing the list from Klaus, who had easily allowed Stefan to take it from him.

As Stefan opened the door, ignoring the sarcastic ‘Good luck!’ from Klaus, he was hit with a strong waft of herbs and other fumes. If he wasn’t already dead, then the smell inside would’ve definitely done the job, or at least knock him out. The scents of lavender and sage mingled with what he figured were formaldehyde and rotting corpses, creating a cocktail of what he figured was death in liquid form.

“Uh… hello? Anyone in here?” Stefan called out, moving farther inside and carefully avoiding the glass jars filled with off-color liquids and varying animal parts. When he finally settled in what he figured was the reception counter, Stefan attempted to lean on it, before seeing that it was infested with insects that he couldn’t even recognize. After taking a few short steps back, Stefan crossed his arms and used his vampire hearing to try and scout out the store owner.

“I know, I know, you fuckin’ vamp! I’m comin’ out, so you better not touch shit!” A voice coming from further back said.

“Don’t worry… I promise I won’t touch _anything,”_ Stefan said, making sure nothing on his body was touching something; for fear of being reprimanded or just not wanting a freaky bug to hitch a ride, he couldn’t tell.

He waited for a moment, before hearing booming steps come closer towards the front, and therefore closer to him. The steps sounded heavy, so he figured he’d take a few steps back. When they finally settled just beyond the creaky door behind the counter, Stefan narrowed his eyes. As the door opened, Stefan was treated to a… visage that would surely burn its way into his memory, where no Original or witch could ever hope to take. The owner of the voice, and who he surmised was also the owner of the apothecary, was an intimidating figure. Looming over Stefan’s already tall figure, what he assumed was a man stood as tall as the store’s ceiling.

The man scrunched up his heavily wrinkled face, before shifting his mouth to the side to spit at one of the… interesting looking plants. Said plant, to Stefan’s surprise and _horror,_ bloomed slightly as if it was sentient and willing to accept the man’s bodily fluids. The plant then shrunk back into a bud, but this time changing its colors.

The man looked at the plant, then to Stefan, and then smirked, showing his oddly sharp and yellowed teeth. “Ahh… customers always go bug-eyed when they see ole’ Maneater over there. You have nothing to worry about, vamp. It only likes eating living people.”

“That’s… comforting,” Stefan said with uncertainty, “anyway… I didn’t come here to talk about plants.”

“Oh, really? Couldn’t have figured that one out,” The man said, pointing his hand to the list in Stefan’s hand.

Looking down at his list, Stefan took a short breath, before looking back up at the man. “Gloria, the witch from the bar a few streets over, she asked us-”

“Gloria! Oh, Gloria… The most conniving, opportunistic, and _sexy_ vixen this side of the world,” The man said with a breathy tone, creeping Stefan out.

“You uhm… know her?” Stefan asked carefully.

“Know her?! She’s one of my most loyal customers. You know, these witches nowadays? They’re such pansies, with all their homegrown herbs and mail-order carcasses. Back in my day, witches like Gloria would be coming to me and asking for severed hands and the blood of snakes,” The man ranted, caught up in his own musings and not acknowledging the clench of Stefan’s jaw that indicated his growing annoyance.

“Yeah, that’s great… Anyway, Gloria sent us to… pick some stuff up for her, to do a spell,” Stefan said, cutting the man’s ranting short.

“Oh, did she now? Gloria’s always full of surprises, that one. First, it was the incense for communing directly with her ancestors that she had me track down, now its sending vamps to pick up her groceries,” The man said, as he gestured for the list in Stefan’s hand.

“Communing with her ancestors?” Stefan asked.

“Yeah, funny though. Never pegged her for the type to deal with their bullshit. And-” The man said, stopping his train of thought as he looked down at the items listed on the paper, “never pegged her for the type to sacrifice live humans, either.”

This caught Stefan’s attention instantly, as the vampire sped into the store owner’s personal space. The man’s eyes bugged out comically, as he took a step back, bumping into the counter. “What the hell do you mean by human sacrifice?”

The man composed himself, glaring at Stefan as he fixed his stature. “I mean the dark, old, _dangerous_ , voodoo that calls for you to drown your victim with the blood of several venomous snakes. Usually, these types of spells require a human sacrifice for them to work.”

Stefan looked at the man incredulously, before speeding out the door and ignoring the owner’s angry tirade against him. Once he was outside, Stefan eyed Klaus who was leaning against the wall opposite of the door.

“What’s got you all worked up, mate?” Klaus asked, his brows knotting.

“We got played.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOOO! Fun times, am I right?! The next chapter was the first one for this story that I wrote out of order, which wasn't fun since it consisted of starting a section, then stopping and doing a completely separate one, until I patchworked it together. It was a struggle to get through, but I think you'll like it! Hopefully anyway. 
> 
> That being said, I hope this chapter made sense. The dialogue for Kol and Gloria sounded good in my head, but IDK if it translated well :( if it didn't, I'd be happy to explain what I was trying to say! 
> 
> And, as I said ay the beginning, leave a comment if you want, just be nice :)


	12. We Used To Drown Our Sacrifices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Stefan and Klaus make it back in time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, like I said last time I was here, was the one I could barely get through it, so it's the shortest lol! It's a fun time, but it's definitely the chapter I've enjoyed the least :( so, to make it up to you, I'll post the next chapter in a few days, instead of two weeks. 
> 
> Thankfully, two weeks and high levels of inspiration have allowed me to write a few chapters ahead of you guys (I'm at chapter 17 as of writing this note), rather than write one chapter per interim between them, so it won't interrupt the flow too much. That being said, enjoy! And comment if you want, but be nice!

“Elijah why is it that anytime one you Mikaelson’s are in town, you always cause a damn scene. I try to run this place with the intention that any supernatural can come in and expect to come out _alive._ And yet, here you are, stirring up trouble in my establishment,” The barkeep said, eyeing the Original with a veiled sense of annoyance. While the man behind the bar was merely a witch, he was no weakling. Unafraid of even the dastardliest being, the man had run his bar like a tight ship; never once, in the thirty years, had he allowed _anyone_ to walk over him. It was admirable if a bit of laughable at times, at least that was how many of the patrons felt, though they would _never_ vocalize this to him.

Still, Elijah was someone who admired people like him, who stood in the face of death and spat in its face, regardless of the consequences that would befall them. It was a refreshing change of pace when life had only ever afforded him the pleasantries of psychotic immortals and the lapdogs they acquired throughout their lifetimes.

“Of course, Marlon. I apologize for… making a scene. I’ll be sure to compensate you and your establishment, should you keep any word of this scuffle… within these walls,” Elijah lilted, the Original vampire wiping the blood from his hands on his handkerchief. Thankfully, he had been able to avoid getting most of the blood on his suit. But, the alleyway in which he had come to dispose of his brother’s dearly departed henchman was not so lucky. The stench of viscera and decay was so heavy that even the wafts of rotten food and shit could not mask it.

“Yeah, I expect some fuckin’ change from you lot. Now, get the fuck away from my bar. You’ll scare the customers away,” The man said as he walked back in the backdoor, shutting it harshly in Elijah’s face. The vampire blinked before letting out a hum, stepping over the body as he walked back into the light of the main street. New York was a beautiful city, horrific underbelly and all, and Elijah always had a habit of appreciating it for all it was worth when he visited. Watching it rise from stolen land into the behemoth that it is today is something very few in the world can attest to, and he was one of them.

As Elijah walked through the streets, his shoulders losing the tense it had earlier when he had been talking with Sanguini. The pompous fool had always been a barb in his side, his usefulness to Klaus the only thing keeping him alive. But today, the late vampire had given him another clue in the ever-evolving puzzle that was Harry Potter. A wizard, rather, _the_ wizard of his time, involved in the schemes of his brother. If he were an onlooking party, he would find that relationship, that connection, to be the most fascinating thing in the world. But he wasn’t, he was smack dab in the middle of the storm; a storm that he’d unfurl, in the hopes that it would lead to his _family._

A buzz fills his ears, and he looks to his inner pockets to find the device emanating it. Without care to look at the screen, Elijah accepted the call and brought the phone to his right ear. “I hope you have something for me, Gabriel. I’ve just had the most unpleasant luncheon and am feeling a particular kind of annoyance.”

“Uhm… yes… yes sir. I have something for you. I’m… sending it to you now,” Gabriel stuttered into the phone, bringing Elijah’s attention to the phone’s screen. Scrolling through the photos, Elijah scanned the content. His eyes widened ever so slightly, watching the video of a werewolf pack seemingly coming back as _vampires…_ no, that wasn’t what they were; they were like _him,_ they were hybrids.

Elijah had hung the phone up before Gabriel had a chance to ask what he needed next and walked towards his driver. Entering the car, Elijah smirked to himself before telling his driver to take him to the airport.

“I see you’ve made a right mess of nature, brother.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“You seem gloomy,” Damon said as he plopped himself down onto the couch. The vampire stretched his arm out to reach for Elena’s shoulder, who in her vacant state allowed the Salvatore to do so. Damon turned his head, looking at her with his piercing blue eyes, analyzing the tension wound in her expression.

Elena turned her head slightly, facing Damon, but not looking directly at him. “There’s a shit ton of things to be gloomy about, Damon. Speaking of, did everything go… ok? Did you… find anything?”

Damon took a sharp inhale, pouting his lips ever so slightly, contemplating whether he should reveal the information he discovered to her. Damon was oblivious at times, but at this moment, he knew that any of the ill tidings he had about Stefan would not bode well for the doppelganger’s mental state. So, he blinked slowly, before scooting over to take the girl into his arms. Elena willingly accepted this act, too tired from the day’s events to fight against Damon.

A mad man would probably laugh at him if he knew of Damon’s ouroboros-like affliction; trapped into falling for the same face once more. A life wasted pining for one, only for him to do the same once again. Insanity was defined by expectations of a different outcome for the same deed, and Damon would probably be thrown into an institution if a shrink caught wind of his actions.

“How are you?” Damon simply asked, peering down at the object of his affections.

Elena grumbled, before placing her head on the crook of Damon’s neck. “That’s not what I asked, Damon.”

“No, it’s not… but it’s sure as hell what you need to be answering. My brother can wait…” Damon said, sighing as he felt Elena’s delicate hands lay on his chest.

“Damon… please. I need _something_ ,” Elena said with force in her voice, looking up at Damon with determined, yet weary, eyes, “these past few days have just been shit piling on top of other shit! There’s nothing to be _happy_ about!”

At this point, Elena had begun to reject his touch, scooting away slightly as she stared into his eyes. Damon blinked once, and the visage in front of him was of another until he blinked again, and it wasn’t. Elena gave him such _sad_ eyes, full of trauma and pain and _exhaustion._ She was so tired; drawn into things she should have never been a part of in the first place.

Her heart stolen by a man who would abandon her _._ He left _her,_ and he wasn’t going to _ever_ come back. His brother was a bastard, sacrificing his life for something he didn’t even ask for. He’d lived his life, destroying, and raging all over the world. It was his time, and his brother, like he had stolen Elena’s heart, had stolen his _out._ He wasn’t suicidal by any means, but when the time comes, you just _know_ it; and at that moment, when the venom had stopped playing tricks on his mind, and he had accepted his fate, he _knew._ But here came Stefan, white knight and all, to the rescue.

“Elena… I think… I think it’s time to move on,” Damon said, deciding it was time for him to leave the situation at hand, for both her sake, as well as his. If he stayed any longer, if he opened up, even more, he was going to regret the words that were sure to leave his mouth. So, he stood from the couch and walked towards the kitchen, with a borderline hysterical Elena following him.

“Move on?! Move on?! How the fuck can I move on when Stefan is out there with a psychopath? How can you expect me to just sit around and… and just let my life fall apart around me?! I deserve answers! I deserve…” Elena ranted, as tears began to fall from her eyes, “I deserve to know that there’s something to hope for! That one day, Stefan might come back! That Bonnie’s gonna wake up and not end up right back in the hospital! That… that Jeremy can wake up and not worry about the people he loves ending up dead!”

Damon watched her erupt, stopping in the middle of the hallway to allow her to air her grievances. He gave her a _look,_ a look of the same tiredness that was in her eyes just moments ago.

“I… I can’t give you that, Elena… there’s nothing left. There’s nothing I can give you- there’s no _hope-_ that I can give you, that can make you feel better. Hell, there isn’t much that I can give myself,” Damon admitted, coming closer to Elena as she leaned against the wall. Elena looked at the older Salvatore through her tears, and continued to sob, even as he took her into his embrace.

“It’s all falling apart,” Elena said in a strained voice, “the people I care about… there’s nothing I can do to help them… I’m powerless…”

“No, you’re not, Elena… you have more power than you know.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Kol hated this feeling; the feeling of being trapped in your own body, where no matter what you tried, no matter how much intention you infused into your thoughts, you could never escape the prison of your flesh. He’d spent decades, centuries even, kept in this cage; though, this time, he’d much rather have been stabbed in the back with a dagger, than be forced into this pacified state by the machinations of a witch. Especially when said witch was most likely trying to kill off one of the most fascinating beings he’d ever had the chance of laying his eyes on.

Calling fate cruel for her endless wrench throwing would be like yelling at a bird for taking flight. Interruptions and problems were a hallmark for his family, and it seemed as though the green-eyed wizard had been drawn straight into the storm that was the Mikaelson’s. He wondered how the wizard was faring.

He hoped he was doing well. They may have only known each other for a few hours, but he sincerely hoped the green-eyed doe was ok.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

A scream ripped through his throat as he felt the knife dig deeper into his shoulder. ‘Six inches from his heart’, he had heard the witch mutter, though she might as well have stabbed him there, as there was surely enough blood to make it look as such. The puncture in his shoulder was only one of many aberrations to his body that the witch had inflicted upon him for the past few minutes. She had made quick work of his wand, throwing it to the side, so he was helpless to stop her.

“Why… why are you doing this?” Harry gurgled, the blood spewing from his mouth in a wet cough. The witch in question merely sighed, before extracting the knife roughly, earning a pained scream from the wizard.

“Cause you made an enemy of the wrong crowd, little wizard. I’ve never seen the spirits that pissed off in a while,” Gloria said with a cold and clinical effect to her voice. Though, if Harry’s head were clearer, he would have been able to sense the nervousness in her voice.

“Spirits…? Why- why are _you_ doing this then…” Harry managed to let out before Gloria adjusted the needle in Harry’s arm.

Gloria let out a large huff, before tightly winding her hands around his shoulders, in an almost parody of a massage. “Listen… I don’t normally fuck with the spirits. They haven’t ever done anything for me, and I choose to be willfully ignorant to them… but…”

“When they have a metaphorical _gun_ to your back, telling you to off some wizard, well… even I have to listen to that. It’s nothing personal, kid,” Gloria said, twisting the metal needle once again, causing a sharp pain to shoot up his arm. “The sooner you give up, the less painful this will end up being.”

“Fuck… you,” Harry grounded out, to which Gloria responded with a chuckle.

“I’ve lived over a hundred years, and I’ve done much worse to even less deserving people,” Gloria said, as her ‘massage’ became more painful until he eventually felt her true intentions with laying her hands on his shoulder. Her fingernails dug in his skin, tearing his flesh as she dragged down her hand towards his exposed chest. Harry let out an even more bellowed scream, tears streaming down his face as the torture reached a fever pitch of pain.

Gloria let out a humorless laugh, before taking her hands back and dipping them in a pan of some sort. The witch eyed the pathetic look in Harry’s face, before leaning back and grabbing a saline bag. Only, it was not the familiar clear liquid; rather, a yellowish liquid, with touches of amber, filled the bag.

Attaching tubing to the bag, Gloria grabbed Harry’s arm and pinched the dip between his forearm and his bicep. Harry tilted his head to the side, witnessing the witch guide a needle to his arm.

“S-stop, what… what is that?” Harry asked, the volume of his voice muddled by his exhaustion and his clarity masked by the blood in his mouth.

Gloria gave the wizard a once over, before sighing loudly. “You fucked with a very _powerful_ witch, and she and the other hags want me to undo what you did. Be grateful modern medicine has advanced far enough to let me administer this directly through your veins. Back in my day, we used to drown our sacrifices in this shit till it killed them.”

“You aren’t afraid of snakes, right? Cause I got about six or seven different venoms in this little concoction I’ve been making for the past month, just for you,” Gloria said as she pressed the needle on bare skin, slightly puncturing it. Harry gasped at the minute sharp pain, grunting as he started to feel the venom enter his veins.

“Now, just sit back, and let it all just wash aw-”

Before Gloria could finish her gloating, a shard of broken glass flew at a high speed, embedding itself in her left shoulder. The momentum and force of the glass were enough to knock her off her seat and to the floor, crashing onto it and forcing the shard back forward. The witch let out a howl of pain as she tried to use her other arm to dislodge it.

Harry’s eyes, while slowly falling shut, shifted to see what had happened. However, before his eyes could shut, permanently, Harry felt himself being lifted and carried off, with a quiet voice in the distance of his mind calling out to him. “Har… Harry… dr… drink… blood…”

The voice echoed in his mindscape, and though the pull of sweet silence was lulling him away, the light and warmth of the voice jogged his mind just enough to make him want to follow it. And so, he did just that; he followed the voice, until it became louder and louder, to the point of becoming deafening. He reached the threshold of light, basking in its warmth before he penetrated its film, launching back to the waking world. It was there that the voice was crystal clear, just as clear as the bleeding wrist that was waved in front of his face.

“Drink my blood, Harry! Drink it!” He could hear Stefan say, whose face was molded with worry and anger. In his weakened state, Harry followed the directive, cupping the vampire wrist before bringing it to his mouth. Harry pressed his lips to Stefan’s skin, lamenting on the tantalizing feeling of it. When the first drop of blood his tongue, Harry felt the magical properties surge through him in an instant. As he continued to the suckle on the wrist, the gouges that marred his skin began to close up, and the burning sensation in his arm was beginning to recede.

Once he felt he was in much better shape, Harry slowly weaned himself off from Stefan, looking up with a flush on his face. While Harry didn’t say a word, he nodded slightly to Stefan, who after a moment of staring at the blood dripping from Harry’s mouth, reciprocated the gesture and helped the wizard stand up, supporting him with an arm on his back.

“Apologies for being so late, love. We’ll try not to make a habit of it,” Klaus said to Harry as he sped towards his brother, broken bottle of liquor in his hand, indicating the source of Gloria’s injury. Harry, too tired to comment, nodded to Klaus as well, giving the man a small smile. After the exchange, Stefan began to lead him toward the entrance as Klaus kneeled down to gather his brother’s slowly un-desiccating body. However, before either pair could exit, shuffling could be heard behind them.

“Not... so fast you… fucking vampires,” Gloria heaved as she dragged herself from the floor, injury bleeding profusely. She glared with intensity towards the saviors she had sent away, before taking a bit of the blood that was dripping from her stab wound and rubbing it between her fingers.

She began to mutter in tongues, adding vitriol and hate into every sound that left her mouth. While the words she had begun to spit were quiet, its effects were not. Slowly, the creeping grey of desiccation began to spread among the vampires. The trio began to all gasp out, falling to their knees as they began to lose all motor control. Harry looked on in horror as he watched this occur, not even registering the deadliness of this spell until he looked at Stefan’s prone form. He came to the stark realization that, unlike Klaus and Kol, Stefan wouldn’t survive this spell. A centuries-old spell of immortality wasn’t going to protect him like it would the other two; he was merely a derivative of them, a centuries-long separation of species.

He was going to die if he didn’t do anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a cliffhanger *shudders* but at least you get a new chapter sooner ;) Hope you liked this, as I said before, it was a bit of a chore to get through, so I'm not too hot on it. Anyway, don't have much else to say, so have a nice day :)


	13. How Can You Even Look At Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hard-fought battles yield the sweetest rewards; and yet, does anyone stop to think of the carnage left behind?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice to see you guys so soon, lol! Like I promised, here's a new chapter sooner than later! I like this one a lot. Granted, I will say I did have to do a last-minute rewrite. Nothing too serious, it's just one scene, in particular, that was iffy, so I added some stuff to help it... not be so iffy. I hope you enjoy it! Something exciting happens in this chapter that I a) had a lot of fun writing, and b) know you guys will enjoy!
> 
> The next chapter will be updated on a regular schedule (two weeks-ish from now)!
> 
> Anyway, enough talking, enjoy the chapter! And like always, be nice and leave a comment if you want!

_“Have you ever killed someone?”_

_“Interesting question to ask a guy when you get him all alone, Stefan. Should I expect you to ask how many children I’ve boiled in my cauldron of evil as well?” Harry sarcastically rebutted Stefan, the two left behind at this night’s motel, awaiting Klaus as he dealt with some business that didn’t require them._

_“Well, I just want to know who I’m being forced to room with,” Stefan replied back. The trio had been together for a month and a half at this point, and the wizard had been dealing with the absolution of his situation; stuck at the disposal of an immortal asshole._

_Harry stared hard at the vampire, taking note of the features on the vampire’s face, which, much to Harry’s chagrin, was near perfect. Granted, so was Klaus’ face, but it was much easier to admit the less psychotic of the two was attractive. Still, seeing the vampire in front of him turn into… the monster that he was scared Harry, not so much the bestial nature of Stefan’s blood induced rages. Rather, it was the fact that someone as mild-mannered and kind as Stefan could turn into such a primal and hunger-fueled monster; that was what scared Harry._

_Stefan quirked an eyebrow as Harry continued to stare at his face, wondering if there was something he was not privy to going on in his head. He was right of course, but Stefan couldn’t read minds… well he could, but he would need to be extremely focused and much closer._

_When Harry had finished the inquisitive look towards Stefan, his face softened from the hard neutrality, into an expression that Stefan could only describe as tired. “…I’ve… I have.”_

_“Did they deserve it?” Stefan asked, his voice soft and careful._

_Harry’s face betrayed the inner turmoil that Stefan had induced; he established a front of neutrality, but his head was swimming with visions of his past. A past that was entrenched in needless hardship and lost innocence._

_“He… tried to kill me; I fought back and killed him before he could kill me,” Harry droned out._

_“Any others?” Stefan asked further, listening as Harry’s heart began to ramp up._

_“I loved him. And then he was gone.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Stefan!” Harry yelled as he watched the vampire collapse. He tried to ignore the hammering of his heartbeat in his ear to keep a calm head. He needed to think fast, or he would lose the vampire forever.

Gloria’s eyes began to roll back, and her aura began to become overtaken by a very familiar force. One that he hadn’t felt since those months ago. He swerved his head quickly, looking for anything around him that could help. Turning his head to near the bar, Harry caught sight of his wand, previously discarded by the witch as she began to torture him.

“Accio wand!” Harry screamed out, holding out his hand and thrusting his magic into the air, permeating it with his inner core, trying desperately to counteract the heavy miasma of the Earth magic in the vicinity.

Thankfully, his pulse of magic was enough to overcome Gloria’s overbearing energy, and his wand flew from across the bar into his hand. Harry’s fight or flight response kicked in as he quickly stood up and readied his stance. Gloria, or rather the vessel that once was Gloria, shrieked an inhuman sound, before thrusting her magic towards Harry. The wizard was almost a second too late, but he was able to conjure a shield in time to block the pure magic being blasted at him. However, the sheer force of it was enough to crack the shield, and Harry had figured he had about two hits left before it completely shattered.

Looking to his feet at the vampires’ prone forms, Harry cast a quick Depulso to launch them back and out of the way.

“I’m guessing you aren’t the witch anymore?” Harry asked the figure that was currently influencing, or perhaps even fully possessing, Gloria. The witch’s body seized back and let out a demented and distorted laugh, making Harry extremely uncomfortable.

“Wasting time asking stupid questions while those abominations are on borrowed time, hm? Not very becoming of a wizard of your stature,” Gloria’s body chortled out, tilting her head at an unnatural angle.

“No… I just wanted to see if I needed to be careful or not. By the looks and feel of it, I don’t really have to hold back,” Harry tried to posture, which only served to make the witch glare at him.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Harry launched a barrage of spells, to which the witch used brute force to try and stop. This method of defense served to create multiple backlashes, unleashing magic into the bar and surrounding areas in a violent manner, knocking the vampires back further, and almost bring Harry to his knees.

Taking in an exhaustive breath, Harry focused his magic into the tip of his wand, before vanishing before the eyes of the witch. Said witch twisted her body around, trying to sense and predict where he would reappear.

“Sectumsempra!” Harry shouted from behind the witch, giving her no time to react as a faintly visible blade-like object extended from Harry’s wand and slashed across her face, deeply lacerating it.

While the witch let out no howl of pain, the body of Gloria was bleeding profusely now, staining her mouth and neck crimson. Harry staggered back to put distance between her and him, glaring as he saw that the wound had no effect.

The witch smiled at the wizard through her bloodied face, leaving a horrific image in Harry’s mind that would stay for a very long time. “You think mortal wounds like that can harm _us?_ We are many! We are those who came before this witch! Your pathetic heresy is no match for _us_!”

Harry glared once more at the witch, who extended her hand, not at Harry, but in the direction of the vampires. The witch flicked her tongue out, tracing her lips as blood collected on the tip. She then began to speak in tongues, and Harry watched on as the desiccation began to spread faster, Stefan almost completely overcome by the stone grey.

“No!” Harry cried out, tears forming in his eyes as his vision began to distort. The world around him began to blur away in spots, replaced by other scenes. One of a destroyed castle, bodies strewn in every direction. And another… another of a forest, with a familiar body, encased in the foliage, as if the Earth were swallowing it.

Before even _he_ realized it, the words had left his mouth, his intentions washing over him and into the tip of his wand, pushing forth with the force of his very own magic.

“Avada Kadavra!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

_“Killing is a part of the natural order of things, Malfoy. That’s why we don’t interfere when the centaurs start getting picked off by the vampires, or the unicorns get ripped apart by the beasts of the forest,” Mad-Eye Moody ranted from his position near the front of the classroom. The man had been their fourth Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and many were wary of even trying to invest in a personal relationship with the man, head Auror, or not. They never felt the need for tact, when he would end up leaving by the end of the year, so many of the students took that as their cue to bombard the hardened enforcer with questions regarding the arcane arts of dark magic._

_“Then why is the killing curse illegal, sir?” Draco said, his mouth curved into a pompous smirk that bewildered all students but those in his house. How a boy could think himself so important to act like a man, many did not understand; least of all the green-eyed boy who sat across the room from him._

_“Careful now, Malfoy Junior. Talk like that and you’ll end up like those friends of your father’s,” Moody taunted, smirking his scarred face as the blonde boy’s face began to redden, from anger or embarrassment no one knew._

_“Excuse me, do not talk about my-”_

_“Yes, yes. I am very aware of the Malfoy clan’s platitudes about their patriarchs. I’ll be careful not to bruise your family’s ego too much,” Moody interrupted, knowing he would likely receive some chastisement from the Slytherin’s head-of-house._

_The boy pouted, shutting his mouth, and flicking his parchment away from him in a defiant, and somewhat childish, manner._

_“Still… Mr. Malfoy brings up a very interesting point. If killing is a part of our world, why is the killing curse illegal?” Moody hummed, to himself or the class he did not know._

_Harry watched the professor mutter to himself, not paying much attention. All the death talk had greatly dampened any sort of enjoyment he could have gotten from this lesson. However, while he was not paying much rapt attention, his classmates seemed to be very interested, hotly debating the morality of the killing curse, and the act of killing in the first place._

_Too much, too soon, thought Harry as he watched Hermione and Pavarti argue with the Slytherins. They were too young to talk so much about death, too young to face it… in the way he had._

_“What say the only survivor of the curse?” Moody had said, silencing the banter and waking the attention of Harry._

_“Harry!” Hermione whispered to Harry, rousing him from his thoughts._

_Harry took a moment to collect himself, watching as all eyes within the classroom turned towards him, burrowing holes into his body with their gazes. “The world… shouldn’t work like that… as much as some people might think… no one deserves to die like that.”_

_The students all gave timid and remorseful looks as Harry’s soft chastising shook them from their debate._

****

_“I’m sorry, Merlin… I’m so sorry,” Harry whimpered at another time, in another place. His tears were cascading down his face, picking up traces of matted blood along the way, reddening them and making it appear as though Harry was crying tears of blood._

_“I didn’t mean it… I didn’t mean it… I love you.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Everything was stiff, and then it wasn’t. Stefan figured that this was what death was like… rather, this was what a second death felt like. Stefan wondered if Klaus and Kol felt the same way. Though, a rational part of him remembered their failed attempts at Elijah’s life. It probably felt like falling asleep to them.

Stefan groaned, awakening from the spell. The youngest vampire’s eyes began to flutter open, and the sight of the bar began to reconstitute itself from the blurry image it was before. Ascending shakily to a somewhat unsteady stand, Stefan braced himself on a table. He looked around at the battered sight of the bar, looking to his side to see the two Mikaelson’s also reacclimating to the waking world.

Rubbing his hands over his eyes, Stefan took a shaky step forward. “What- what the hell happened?”

“I believe that our dear Harry may have-”

Before Klaus could say more, the man stopped his sentence in its tracks, his eyes focused on said wizard, who had taken up space on the back wall of the bar. The wizard had folded in on himself, his wand discarded as if dropped, his knees close to his chest. The wizard had encased his body within his arms, guarding his core. While his head was not visible, a pungent aura of despair was palpable around the boy.

“Harry?” Stefan asked cautiously, who in turn did not respond back. At this, Stefan took a tepid step forward, then another, and so on. As he slowly made his way across the bar, he beckoned for the two brothers to stay behind, both complying readily.

As he journeyed past the bar caught in disarray, he looked down to see the mangled corpse of Gloria, fallen back with blood slowly flowing out due to not having a beating heart to pump it any longer. His eyes began to darken in a familiar way, but his worry for Harry overwhelmed any bloodlust that might have been awoken.

Once he had made his way to Harry, the vampire dropped down on one knee, slowly moving his hand to cup Harry’s cheek. The wizard initially refused this action, dipping his head further into his cocoon of limbs and flesh. But, after the warmth near his body had been recognized as Stefan, Harry began to relax, allowing Stefan to draw his head out and into both of his hands.

He gently rubbed at his bloodied cheeks, most likely a byproduct of whatever he had done to injure the witch, guiding his head and therefore the rest of his body, into an embrace. The wizard sunk into the vampire’s grasp, first in a stiff manner; but, after a moment, the boy collapsed like a puppet cut from his strings, his eyes swelling with tears and his mouth letting out whimpers.

“She… she was going to kill all of you. I- I couldn’t let her kill all of you… I k-killed her… I took her life… What have I done…” Harry said, his voice mangled by the grips of emotional turmoil. Stefan said no words, instead choosing to wrap his arms around the wizard and hold him close; close enough to hear the beating of his heart.

“I killed… I killed her, Stefan,” Harry said in a tiny voice once more, very clearly caught in a state of shock. None of the three vampires knew how long it had been since they were put under, so they couldn’t even guess how long Harry had been like this.

“It’s ok… it’s ok,” Stefan finally said, gently standing and lifting the wizard into a bridal position. Harry attempted to make himself as small as possible, leaning into Stefan’s chest. The Salvatore vampire looked to the two Originals, who merely nodded back at him. In the next moment, the pair were gone, and all that was left in the bar were two ancient vampires.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry offered no resistance as Stefan lowered him into the opulent tub. If he were in a much better state, he would have appreciated the craftsmanship of it, but, alas, here he was, traumatized by taking the life of another human being with the putrid magic of the killing curse. Stefan gently assisted in taking the wizard’s tattered clothes off, till he was down to his underwear. Then, Stefan began to turn the valve, until water began to gently pour down from above, washing away almost everything but his sorrow.

Stefan began to then use a towel to wipe the blood from his body. While there were no wounds left, the trails of matted blood still lay there on his pristine skin, marring the beauty with the savagery of battle. If the situation were less tension-filled, he would remark how ironic this scene was; where, just a short time ago, their roles were reversed.

“I can’t believe I actually… killed her,” Harry muttered under the hiss of the shower stream. His eyes, formally distant and half-lidded, began to widen. His demeanor changed in a matter of seconds, where once he was lifeless, now he was filled with regret.

“I used it; I used the curse. I- I shouldn’t have used it, but I did! I- I took the life of someone else, I did something that’s unforgivable! I can’t, I- I-”

Harry’s gestures and words began to grow even more morose, as the weight of what he had done began to settle and toil within his being. He had done something heinous, worthy of the denotation of unforgivable. He was a failure of a wizard, a pathetic, weak, disgusting wizard who-

“Stop it, Harry. Just breathe,” Stefan’s voice said, jutting into, and cutting straight through, the veil of heavy regret, encasing him in the guilt of using the killing curse. “Breathe with me. In, and out. That’s good.”

“You’re doing good, Harry. It’s gonna be ok. Everything’s gonna be ok,” Stefan comforted him.

“Merlin… how can you even look at me right now,” Harry whispered under the shower’s hiss.

“Pot,” Stefan said, gesturing to himself, before then gesturing to Harry, “meet kettle. Nice to meet you, kettle.”

Harry, while having very little energy to laugh, did give the vampire a small but beautiful smile; a smile that awoke something in Stefan. For Harry to be able to offer something so pure and light, after what he had just experienced, made Stefan’s heart leap in a way it had never done before. It made him want to covet and protect it; and, it made him want to do something he would probably regret himself.

Which was where Harry found himself next, failing to realize the hand on the back of his neck, nor the lips that were squarely planted on his own. Harry’s eyes widened and his vision blurred all at once; his face heating up. His head was spinning moments ago, but now, his mind was clear. Clearer than it had been these past few months; and, he did not want to let that go. Not yet, not… _ever_.

Harry then decided to throw caution and tact to the wind, tilting and turning his head to allow Stefan to deepen to the kiss, to which the vampire did. Grasping the back of the raven’s neck, the vampire leaned in further, in doing so becoming drenched as well, and tried to enact as much physical contact between them as he could. Pushing Harry against the edge of the bathtub on the wall, Stefan was practically in there with him.

His hands remained steadfast on Harry’s neck and back, for Stefan did not want to go any further than this. Not now. He merely wanted to _feel_ the wizard in front of him, to give him the calm that he had been giving Stefan since they had been brought along on this wild ride. Wrapping his arms around Stefan’s neck, Harry grabbed onto him like he was the rope that held him teetering over the chasm of despair he had been about to fall into.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, but only minutes, the pair separated from their kiss. They looked at each other with heated eyes, the world around them becoming dull and colorless. The only thing that mattered to the two at that moment was the other.

“Stefan…” Harry finally had the guts to say. “I- we… we shouldn’t have-”

“Later. Deal with… everything later,” Stefan said rather primitively, his muttering just barely audible over the stream of water above the two of them.

Harry looked up from his lower position at Stefan, who’s eyes pierced through the shroud of sadness that had laid over him moments ago. His mouth quirked downward; his head titled inquisitively before the wizard lifted his head. Their lips were mere centimeters apart now, and they could each feel the other’s strained breaths dust upon them.

Neither could tell who took the second plunge, but what they did know was the absolute _safety_ the other’s touch instilled in them.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Perhaps we should dump the body in a back alley?” Kol suggested, dumping bottles of varying alcohol over every surface he could reach. The younger vampire of the pair gave his brother a devious smirk, though Klaus did not reciprocate it. He merely stared at the makeshift ritualistic setup Gloria had built, carefully dragging his hands over the splash of blood on the tables.

This was Harry’s blood, shed thanks to his arrogance and ignorance. Had he even stopped for a second to think of the repercussions of bringing Harry here, he would have realized that a witch, no matter how detached from their ancestors, was still a witch. She drew from an intrinsic connection to those hags on the Other Side for her magic, and from what she had told them, _magic,_ or at least magic of the Earth, was the enemy here. He should have had the foresight to know she would be compromised. And, because of his rush to get to his goal, Harry had almost paid the price.

“No point in moping over spilled blood, brother,” Kol said to him while placing a hefty hand on Klaus’ shoulder, “what’s done is done. You couldn’t have known she would do this.”

“That’s just it, though. I _should have_ known. I’ve always planned for every instance, for every obstacle, that would separate me from my goals. I was too hasty, too unsettled, to think clearly,” Klaus admitted, a rare feat of vulnerability that Kol had only ever witnessed in person once in their long lifetimes.

For a moment, Kol was silent, drinking in the sight of his all-powerful and dastardly brother standing here and admitting he had _fucked up._ It was a remarkable sight, and one that he figured he would never get to see again. Though, perhaps even that notion would be proven wrong, as it seemed that little wizard brought out all kinds of things from his brother. Things he had never even seen his brothers or even Rebecca bring out of Klaus.

“Maybe we should leave the body here? They’ll think she was caught in the fire, fighting off a robber and sustaining injuries because of it,” Kol suggested after his moment of rumination.

“No,” Klaus responded, earning an eyebrow raise from Kol.

“Then what do you suppose we do?” Kol asked.

“We don’t leave her body here. We need to find out what’s going on. If it’s… if it’s really our dear mother who is pulling the strings, we will need some way to combat her _and_ help Harry. We can bring her body to a diviner, a shaman; anyone that can figure out what happened to her, and how she was taken over. If we can figure out how these witches are gaining footholds on this side to run my plans afoul, then we can solve a multitude of our problems at once,” Klaus explained, finally moving from the spot he had planted himself on to kneel and gather up Gloria’s mangled and stone-cold body.

Kol paused his ministrations, taking a look at Klaus; the cogs within his mind spinning, working out what they could possibly do. He thought long and hard, and just before the duo was ready to leave with Gloria’s now covered corpse, the vampire came to an epiphany.

“Blood,” Kol simply said, his face etched with realization. Klaus gave his brother a confused stare, expecting him to elaborate on his point. “It’s blood that’s the problem, correct? Harry came back from the Other Side with tainted blood, and that is why your Hybrids failed.”

“If it took you this long to come to that conclusion, brother, I fear your time in the coffin must have caused severe brain damage,” Klaus jested, smirking as Kol’s face ignited in quiet fury, before settling down.

“As I was saying, blood is the problem. When Gloria was using that desiccation spell, she used her blood, which by that point I assume she had already been lost to the spirits,” Kol explained.

“She had tainted blood as well then,” Klaus surmised, to which Kol nodded.

“Probably. This means, if blood is the problem, it can also be our solution. All spells have loopholes, the most notorious and the closest to us being the unbinding properties of the white oak that bound mother’s spell in the first place. White oak, and-”

“The doppelganger,” Klaus answered before Kol could finish.

“Yes, which means that-”

“Doppelganger blood can undo the affliction on Harry’s blood; perhaps it could even be the key to repelling those witch spirits too, should we find the right person to apply that knowledge. And, from what you told me, you seem to have a doppelganger, safe and _alive._ All thanks to your wizard,” Kol said, his devious smirk matching the one that was growing on Klaus’ face.

“Well then,” Klaus said, dropping Gloria’s body onto the ground without an ounce of respect for his former acquaintance, “it looks like we have another trip to make.”

Klaus let out a small laugh, before walking forward to the bar, using his hands under it to search for something. When he finally found what he was looking for, the hybrid turned around, eyeing a picture leaning on the reflective surface of the mirror.

Kol sped to his brother, curious to see what the man had found. “Isn’t that your little lapdog? You knew him back then?”

“Yes, we were something close to- no, I would go as far as to say we were _as_ close as brothers, back then,” Klaus explained, ripping the photo from its taped position.

“And yet he can’t even stand the sight of you right now… what happened?” Kol queried.

“Our father happened,” Klaus simply put.

“Are you going to tell him?” Kol asked, his eyes shifting away from the photo and onto the box of matches Klaus had obtained from under the bar.

“One day. When it is safer, and he is not in danger. Perhaps I could… remind him of our time together in the Twenties,” Klaus said wistfully, before placing it near the pools of booze that had littered the surface of the bar. Klaus ignited a single match and threw it directly onto the photo, encasing it, and moments later the entire bar, in flames. Klaus then grabbed the last bottle of alcohol that the pair had not spilled and sped towards Gloria’s body. Popping the cork, Klaus seemed to make a salute type gesture, before drowning her body in the liquid and igniting her as well.

Kol took the sight of the flames in, marveling at the way they danced across the establishment, engulfing anything and everything. Were he any less sane, he figured he would add being a pyromaniac to the long list of troubles that plagued his mind. After he spent that moment to appreciate the destruction, he joined Klaus in speeding out, neither taking a second glance back at the soon to be ruins of Gloria’s Bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *me with a megaphone* ITS GETTIN HOT IN HERE, SO TAKE OFF ALL YOUR CLOTHES!!! 
> 
> It finally happened! Harry's finally getting some action! BUT, will it end well for them? MWAHAHAHAHA
> 
> Anyway, this chapter came out much better than the last; albeit, action isn't my forte, so this was the best I could offer lmao. 
> 
> This also means that... WE'RE GOING BACK TO MYSTIC FALLS! I'm currently writing chapter 17 right now, and I'm having so much fun having Harry and the rest of the crew interact with the denizens of this cursed town!


	14. Casserole With A Side Of Sympathy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our crew goes back to where it all began; and, a peek into the lives of the Mystic Falls gang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a little early, but I'm getting antsy and need to upload so I get motivated to stay ahead of you guys lol. That being said, I'm writing chapter 19 right now, and it starts off so fun! (and, to put in perspective, chapter 18's ending will hopefully blow your minds!)
> 
> Anyway, here's the next one. Things get steamy, the funny, then mopy, then funny *again*, then mopy... *again*, then romantic...ish.
> 
> As always, comment if you want, but be nice :)!

“What happened?” Rudy asked, watching his daughter in her hospital bed, his face was worn with concern and hidden anger.

“She… she tried to help us-”

“Bullshit! She got involved in the same thing that took Sheila and made Abby leave us!” Rudy growled to Alaric, not sparing a glance in the schoolteacher’s direction.

“All I wanted for my daughter was for her to grow up in a nice and normal household, free of all the bullshit from Sheila’s side! I wanted her to be safe and kept away from vampires and witches and whatever ever the fuck else goes bump in the night!” Rudy ranted quietly, his stern and fatherly demeanor showing. “She should be having the summer of her life, the last one before her senior year of high school! And instead, she’s in a hospital bed because of a spell gone bad!”

“And now… now you want me to make a decision over whether she gets to keep the thing that got her this way?!” The father angrily said, bumping Alaric’s shoulder to move to the other side of the teacher.

“Then it should be simple, then. Save her life and-”

“You don’t fucking get it, do you?” Rudy once again interrupted Alaric, “You aren’t a father, so why should you understand what you’re asking me to do… My daughter… she loved Sheila so much… probably even more than me. Magic… magic was the thing that kept us apart and pushed her to her Grams; were she here right now, she’d know I’d take it away in a heartbeat.”

“That’s why… what you’re asking me to do is _impossible_. Not just impossible, but also _not fair._ Not to her, not to Sheila, not to… Abby,” Rudy said, with a deathly calm. “I love her. More than anything in this world. But I know, if we went through with this… she would never look at me, ever again. She’d be waking up to an estranged father taking away the last thing she has of her Grams.”

“I- I’m sorry this has to fall to you, Rudy. I know you love Bonnie and care a lot about how she thinks of you. But it has to be _you._ I didn’t raise her, Elena didn’t raise her, none of us did…” Alaric said remorsefully to Bonnie’s father, deciding not to show comfort through physical contact, but instead respectful eye contact.

“I know…” Rudy whispered.

“If I may intrude,” A prim voice said to the side, the accent instantly awakening Alaric’s fight or flight system, “but I can perhaps provide a solution that benefits both your daughter’s personal health, as well as the health of your relationship with her.”

“What… what the hell are you doing here, _Elijah_?” Alaric bit out beside a confused Rudy.

“Righting a grievous wrong that I had committed.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“I’ve messaged Stefan to start packing up his and Harry’s things. Hopefully, they would have done it by now so we can leave rather promptly,” Klaus said to his brother, the two waiting in the elevator to take them up to the penthouse suite.

“Maybe if we’re quick enough, we can catch a glimpse of your little wizard with his knickers down-” Klaus swiftly proceeded to whack Kol on the backside of the head, using enough of his vampire strength to knock the younger forward a bit. Kol glared menacingly at the hybrid, to which Klaus responded with a smirk.

“Enough with that. We need to be serious for a bit, especially if… if Harry isn’t particularly fond of talking to us at the moment,” Klaus said to his brother, sobering the both of them a bit.

“Right, he’s all traumatized and such…” Kol said before quirking his mouth, “I do have to say, though, I don’t know why he had such a reaction to offing the witch. He seems to be comfortable around you, and I know you’ve killed in much crueler fashion.”

“Well, Harry is a rather sensitive soul. He’s not like us…” Klaus responded to his brother.

“No, he is much squishier. Still, he’s killed before, at least, he’s killed your hybrid failures as you’ve told me. I fail to see how that differs from this?” Kol asked, to which Klaus shook his head a bit.

“I’d reckon he feels that was self-defense, and to be honest, those failures weren’t exactly human when he offed them. He probably likened it to killing an animal,” Klaus postulated, earning a chuckle from Kol as the elevator door opened for them.

“Well, perhaps the lapdog has calmed him down enough-”

“Stefan… Stefan!” The pair of Originals could hear from the hall, both of their eyes widening at the _tone_ in which said voice, which was definitely Harry, was saying the Salvatore’s given name. Snapping out of his bewildered state, Kol looked to his side to see Klaus’ blank face, his lips pinched into oblivion. The younger vampire took all of two seconds before he let out a heavy laugh, tears forming in his eyes as the pair stopped to listen in.

“Oh, the look on your face brother!” Kol said between his laughing fits, “It sounds as though the lapdog has _certainly_ calmed the wizard down! To think, you spent how long moping about your long-lost brother-in-all-but-blood and that little wizard, only for them to seek comfort with each other!”

“Kol,” Klaus said succinctly, his eyes glaring holes through his sibling’s head. Ignoring the obvious scolding that was about to take place, Kol continued to mock the hybrid as Harry’s whines became breathier, and much to the cold anger of Klaus, _louder._

“He stole the wizard right from under your nose! I mean-” Kol tried to finish, before Klaus promptly snapped his neck, silencing him for the time being. Readjusting his jacket, Klaus stomped forward till he was at the door, where his vampire senses showed to him loud and clear what was happening. He could hear their strained breathing, and the rush of water that was flowing, signaling to him that they were in the bath together.

Klaus took a deep breath to calm himself; and, to prevent him from _accidentally_ maiming Stefan the second he saw him. Whispering just loud enough for Stefan to hear him above the shower, Klaus began to speak.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry whined between heated breaths, trying fruitlessly to turn his head away from Stefan’s peppered kisses. It was becoming harder and harder to maintain a clear head with the way Stefan was acting. He could even feel the way Stefan arrogantly smirked into the side of his neck.

They had been fondling each other in the bath, the two not wanting to leave their stationary place. They were quite content, no matter how uncomfortable the bath and water streaming down onto them was, to stay. Harry’s lips were sore from the bites and nips that Stefan had given him; though, with Harry’s experience bedding the bachelors of the magical world, this was certainly _not_ the most bothersome thing he had ever experienced while sleeping with someone.

Oh, Merlin… He was probably going to end up sleeping with Stefan, Harry thought to himself as he allowed Stefan to suck a hickey onto a particularly prominent part of his neck. There were a thousand and one reasons as to why Harry needed to blue ball himself into stopping what was most likely going to happen. The vampire had a _girlfriend_ for Godric’s sake, and as adventurous as he was in sex, he refused to be the other woman, so to speak.

Still, he was only a man, and as such, temptation won over his intellectual and reasonable side.

“Stefan!” Harry whined rather loudly and at a higher pitch, the vampire suckling on a very sensitive spot. Harry was very much in a haze of pleasure until he noticed the way Stefan had suddenly stopped.

“Stefan? Is… are you-”

“Klaus and Kol are back,” Stefan simply said, the sexual tension and energy in the now sauna-like room dissipating at a rapid pace.

“Oh… Oh!” Harry said, jolting up from his position, now realizing just how wet and _hard_ he was. “Shit… shit! Stefan we- we need to-”

“I’ll get them,” Stefan said, reaching behind him to turn the shower valve off, before slowly getting out of the tub and vamp speed away. Returning with a folded stack of clothing, Stefan exchanged it for an extra towel that was sitting on the vanity, speeding away once again without another word.

“Fuck,” Harry whispered to himself, everything that had just happened, and everything that he had been _thinking,_ crashing down onto him. The wizard looked down towards his crotch, sighing as he too stood up to go get ready for the most awkward and fucked up ‘walk of shame’ he’s ever had the displeasure of doing.

Striding out of the bath, Harry eyed his reflection in the foggy mirror. He looked utterly disheveled, a look that on any other day he wouldn’t have given a second thought to. Harry frowned at the state of his neck, spattered with spots of bruised skin.

“Damn it,” Harry mumbled out as he took a towel from the vanity, drying his body. Taking his time, the bathroom began to become less damp and foggy, the hot air cooling. Once he was sufficiently dry, the green-eyed boy changed into much more decent wears, exiting the bathroom. Upon his departure from the bathroom, he was faced with the stern gaze of Klaus, the avoidant glances of Stefan, and the pure elation of Kol’s repressed laughter.

“Glad to see you are feeling better, Harry,” Klaus said smoothly enough, though his tone would indicate some sort strain. “I was very worried you’d be incapacitated enough to put a hamper on our next trip. But, color me _elated_ to see you doing just fine thanks to dear old _Stefan.”_

The tightness to which Klaus was pursing his lips could fold diamonds, and the grip he had on his own palm was strong enough that Harry could spot speckles on blood leaking from under the hybrid’s nails. Harry put a hand on his hip and discarded his used towel to the side.

“Next trip? What do you mean next trip?” Harry asked.

Before Klaus could mutter a response, Kol decided to give his fit of laughter a rest, just to inject himself into the conversation. “He means that his utter and devout fidelity to you requires him to go to the ends of the Earth for the sake of your well-being. Be proud, wizard, you have the undivided attention of the big bag _hybrid.”_

At the admittance of that, Harry’s eyes widened, looking toward Klaus. The man gave him a hard stare, quite the opposing expression to his bashful one. While Klaus may have meant his expression to be a sign of strength, Harry deemed the man’s refusal to admit such a thing to be annoying.

“Well then, when the hell do we leave? And where are we going?” Stefan finally said, breaking up the silent staring match between the two.

“I’ve booked a flight this time. First-class tickets straight to the most mystical town in America,” Klaus answered, tossing Harry’s bag, which was startlingly light.

“We’re… going back to Mystic Falls?” Stefan quietly asked from his spot sitting on the edge of the hotel bed.

“Yes, yes, Stefan! We’re going back to your beloved hometown!” Klaus responded.

Stefan gave Klaus a glance, before turning his head to his lap, mulling over the fact that they would be returning to his home. Harry gave the vampire a soft look, before turning his head to Klaus.

“Not that it’s important, but I do remember buying a lot more shoes than this,” Harry half-joked to cut the tension in the air. Opening his bag, he showed the near emptiness of his bag.

“In the time it took to have you all dolled up, I thought it well to _donate_ those purchases to the front desk. They’ll be finding a much more worthwhile home at a local thrift store than with an ungrateful wizard,” Klaus said with a sarcastic smile, Harry offering the man the same pinched look he had given him moments ago.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The quartet then took a few minutes to collect any other linger articles of belonging before venturing out; but, before Harry could follow Klaus and Stefan out, Kol grabbed his arm, enacting a washing of chilled air over Harry’s mind.

“What-”

“Fancy little trick, telepathy, we vampires have developed. Though, I’m sure you’re familiar with its more… nefarious uses,” Kol said with a smile.

Harry narrowed his eyes for a bit before he began to shift his focus to their surroundings, because, where a hotel hallway had been, was now replaced by a shockingly bright and floral garden. Turning his head to the side, Harry was even able to spot what looked like a castle as well.

“Where is this? Where are _we_?” Harry asked, his voice flavored with awe.

“Southern France, about a thousand years ago, if I remember correctly. A peculiar castle this was. It was the first time that our family had found a residence that was… extravagant; it certainly set us on the path of riches and splendor that we had come to be used to. I’m sure you know that as well,” Kol answered, causing Harry to let out a nervous cough to the side at the mention of his shopping trip.

“Still, when Klaus… did this to me, I was asleep. How did you manage to entrap me in your little mind world while we were walking? And speaking of, what the bloody hell is going on with our bodies right now?” Harry inquired.

“Our bodies are moving as they would, granted, we won’t be doing much conversing with Klaus and his lapdog. It’s a little spin on this trick I developed with a witch from Germany, perfect for gaining information in spite of well-practiced and prepared individuals with a rather… _herbal_ dietary plan,” Kol explained.

Harry gave the vampire an unsure look, Kol responding with his own devious expression. “Well then… why did you decide to bring us here?”

Kol gave the vampire a long look, before responding, “I wasn’t lying about Klaus being devoted to you. It seems you’ve found your way into that cold dead heart of his.”

“That being said, I would… tread carefully, little wizard. As enamored as he is with you, I would trust you know that his interests are very fickle. I wouldn’t want my new favorite wizard to go and get his heart ripped out, especially when I haven’t gotten to see all his tricks,” Kol said, leaning back and giving Harry a playful smirk.

“Oh- uh…” Harry spluttered out, his cheeks going rosy before he gave the Original a careful look. “Um… thank you… for looking out for me.”

“Don’t mention it. Though, another warning: if you want to continue your little trysts with the lapdog, I would keep it out of sight from my brother. He gets very territorial, like a child refusing to share his toys,” Kol said as they walked along the edge of the garden, making their way into the castle.

Harry gave the vampire a huff, which Kol met with a hardy laugh. “I’m not a damn toy! If Klaus wants to be a child about it, then he’ll just have to deal with it!”

“Your funeral, Harry.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Are you sure we should be doing this, Car’?” Tyler asked as he loaded the boxes of mouse traps into Caroline’s house. “I mean… it doesn’t really feel the same, with Bonnie…”

“I- I know… but, she wouldn’t want us to pause everything in our lives. Besides, she’ll be fine by the time senior prank night comes around, and she’ll be there with us! She’ll be laughing and having the time of her l-life,” Caroline tried to continue before tears began to fall from her eyes.

Tyler gave the girl a soft look of sympathy, dropping the box he was holding onto the ground and proceeding to hug her. He gave her a firm hold, rubbing her back as she continued to cry into his shoulder.

The werewolf gently maneuvered the two of them, trying his hardest not to topple them over or hit anything, over to a seat. The blonde girl sniffled, wiping her excess of tears on her sleeves. She peered to her right, looking at the photo of her, Elena, and Bonnie during their freshman year of high school. She frowned deeply, remembering the days where one of the girls was sick, and the others went to comfort them. The three of them were so close, and were always supportive, but now… now Caroline couldn’t even get near the hospital without bursting into tears, and Elena was god knows where while dealing with even more drama of her own.

The three were more separate than ever now, and Caroline hated it. She hated the fact that she couldn’t be there for her friends.

“Car’... maybe we should pay her a visit? See how she’s-” Two knocks from the front door silenced Tyler’s plea.

Caroline sat up from her leaning position, tucking her blonde tresses behind her ear in order to hear who was at the door. “Car’… it’s me.”

In a flash of a second, she jolted off of Tyler, and vamp speeded her way to the door, opening it to find one of the girls she had been thinking about. Elena gave the girl, noticing the drying streaks of tears on her face, a bear hug, enveloping the girl in her warm hold.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around, Car’,” Elena said into the blonde vampire’s neck, the other responding with a humorless giggle.

“I mean, with all the shit going on, how could you? How could- how could any of us act like we used to?” Caroline said sadly, taking in the gentle rubbing on her lower back from the brunette.

“I’m just… very glad to see-”

“Ahem,” A very familiar voice coughed behind them. Caroline froze in Elena’s hold for a moment, before disconnecting herself and giving the vampire behind the doppelganger a harsh glare.

“Elena… why is he here?” Caroline asked quietly as if the Salvatore wasn’t there. The remorseful yet pleasant mood was ruined, and the familiar dynamics between the supernatural posse were back in place.

“I brought the world-famous Salvatore special, casserole with a side of sympathy,” Damon sarcastically said, offering the dish in his hands out. Caroline gave one spare glance, before turning her head to Elena, who merely gave her a shake of the head.

“Seriously?! You couldn’t deliver this casserole on your own, Elena? Totally bad best friend move, especially when you bring the asshole who got into my pants and is trying to get into yours!” Caroline mumbled as she ushered the pair into her home.

“I can hear you,” Damon singsonged, depositing the dish onto the kitchen island, then proceeding to take a seat in the girl’s kitchen. Leaning back with his hands behind his head, Damon gave his ex-turned frenemy a dopy, yet utterly hollow, smile.

Caroline glared at the girl, taking in a huff of air as Tyler then entered the kitchen.

“How’s it going, wolf boy?” Damon asked, “Catch any foxes this past full moon?”

“I’ll catch your damn neck the next-” Tyler angrily grunted before Elena put her hand on his shoulders to hold him back. Damon gave the boy a shrug, before reaching out to Elena’s hand.

“Why don’t you tell blondie and the mutt before they tear out my throat? Pretty please?” Damon faux-pouted, much to the annoyance of the girl.

She then turned to her two friends, taking in their looks of confusion. “Tell us what?”

“There’s a way to help Bonnie.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry stared out of the plane’s window; his eyes cast onto the left wing of the plane. He watched as the blinking red light beamed on and off, a rhythm that lulled his tired eyes. When they were all seated in first class, Harry had ended up in the seat next to Klaus. While he wasn’t facing him, Harry could _feel_ Klaus’ stare on the back of his head.

“If you want to say something, say it. The other two are asleep,” Harry said quietly, looking over to his other companions, confirming the two’s states with the slow rise and fall of their chests and their shut eyes.

“What really happened earlier, Harry? When you killed Gloria. You had no problem killing those hybrids in Tennessee,” Klaus asked, his body twisting to face Harry, who did not reciprocate the action; though, the wizard did show some acknowledgment to the hybrid’s movement.

Harry took a second to contemplate how he would answer. To be quite honest, Harry’s mind hadn’t been exactly focused on that event, not since Stefan had…

“When you kill someone, you simply practice the art of taking a life; there is no exchange, no eye for an eye. You may lose your humanity, but… in time you can get it back. But for me… it’s not like you or Kol, or even like Gloria. Those hybrids… they were animals, creatures even. I would be hard-pressed to find someone who would say those things had a soul… not after what you did to them- rather, what those witches did to them, I guess. I didn’t feel what I felt when Gloria… died,” Harry said, finally angling his head toward Klaus, turning his whole body to the side in a rather uncomfortable sitting position.

“A bit hypocritical, don’t you think? What about the sacredness of life?” Klaus contemplated out loud to Harry, the wizard responding with a small chuckle.

“Are you ok though?” Klaus once again asked.

Harry leaned back and closed his eyes. “Not really. Trying not to think about it too much if I’m honest.”

“Why do you care, though?” Harry asked.

Klaus reached his hand out, gently caressing the back of Harry’s hand. Said wizard’s eyes met Klaus’, and the two held contact as the world around them began to change, shifting from the grey and dull plane interior and morphing into a wonderfully lit and jovial looking street.

While the energy and atmosphere of the street were swimming with color, Harry’s aura remained stilled, almost broken. Klaus reached from the bench they were now sitting on, enveloping the wizard in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lot of fun, and I hope you like how I handle Klaus and Stefan, especially when it comes to Harry! (well...also Kol, but I haven't decided on that yet *hides under covers*) Klaus is a complex guy; as I warned you, he's an asshole! But he deffo cares- at least enough to want to comfort Harry in his time of emotional need. And Stefan... oh you poor impulsive bastard... that'll *definitely* work out for you later on when you reunite with Elena XD. 
> 
> And another thing, I hope the killing thing makes sense. If I'm honest, I had a mechanic in mind when I was writing the Gloria fight and this part, then I remembered I had Harry kill and/or maim a hybrid or two, so... that's why that conversation happened lol.
> 
> Finally, this is probably the first of many juicy bits in this arc of the story, as we move away from the road trip portion and fly them all the way back to good ole' Mystic Falls. 
> 
> P.S. comment, but be nice!


	15. Which One Will You Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quartet arrive in Mystic Falls, where bitter truths and hard reunions are aplenty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up! I hope everyone is doing relatively ok. Hopefully, this chapter will bring at least a little bit of joy if you're needing it, haha! Anyway, this is the next chapter! The gang is back in Mystic Falls, and we get to see a small peak into a developing major storyline >_> plus, we also get to see some domestic kerfuffles (even if they don't even realize they're totally on their way to being domestic... err, a fucked up version of domestic, but domestic nonetheless) between our future throuple! Fun times!
> 
> Also, I think, for now, I'll shorten the time between updates to 9-10 days. I'm well enough ahead and I'm just so excited for you guys to read everything that happens lol!
> 
> Anyway, here's the chapter! Enjoy and leave a comment if you want, but be nice!

_What is a soul? How can one know it exists, when it is impossible to see, to feel, to perceive in any way? Perhaps these questions, in the mind of a great muggle philosopher, could be answered with poetic sonnets and soliloquies, dancing around the tongues and minds of the world for centuries upon centuries. But the minds we seek to gander inside are no mere muggles; rather, they are the greatest race of magic-using beings on the planet. Or… that is what they would tell anyone who would listen._

_Wizards have known of the soul since they began to weave the creatures of the world into the bark born from nature itself. Long before the vampires of the world stomped the hallowed ground of the Earth, there existed a homogenous race of magical entities. Humans who had communed with nature, sought power, and found balance with the beasts of the unknown._

_Eventually, there came a time when one became three, and three became many. Those who communed with nature, and lived to serve, became the witches of today, deriving their powers from hallowed ground, chained to its whims. Those who sought power became mad with it, devising spells that would inevitably lead to their downfall, forcing them into a nomadic existence from thenceforth. And the third, those who had found harmony with the beasts of the wild, had become the most powerful. Not bound to the whims of nature, nor obsessed with the power magic could grant, these became the wizards of today. Drawing from the essence of all living creatures, including themselves, they harnessed the power of souls to produce their magic._

_However, while powerful, this came at a cost, for dealings with the soul are fickle and dangerous with unsteady hands. For the soul could only endure so much, and while not attuned to the pressures of any Earth-bound ancestors, wizards had developed their own code. One that sought to prohibit the most heinous act of all: the mutilation of a soul. Something that, by normal standards, would never be able to be achieved. And yet, power corrupts even the purest of hearts._

_With time came those who would seek to control the soul, to torture it, and to… destroy it. To do any of these things would amount to the destruction of one’s own soul. For you see, while death was a natural process, murder through magic was abhorrent. Souls were meant to pass onto the great beyond or back into the Earth; and yet, to kill with magic like this meant those souls were obliterated, never to exist again._

_So, to those wizards who seek to harm the soul of another, heed this warning: there is no greater crime than to destroy a soul, lest you allow your own to bear the brunt of your sins. For once the soul is chipped away, there is nothing to prevent it from falling apart._

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Elijah looked at the old tome on the table, then turned his gaze towards the blonde man, John Gilbert if he remembered correctly. The vampire looked at the man, pursing his lips but not commenting on anything.

“Are you going to say anything? Or are you just going to pace there?” Rudy grunted, frustrated with the Original pacing about in front of the Bennett grimoire.

Before he responded, the vampire signaled to his companion, a witch servant he had brought with him from his time in New York, to bring out his procured version of a Bennett witch’s grimoire. Opening it and turning to a page that had startlingly similar illustrations, the witch waved her hand over both, the words on the four pages laid out beginning to glow.

The witch, retracting her hand back to herself, looked back at Elijah, waiting for him to command her next move.

“You can leave us for now, Lily. I’ll call when we have need of you,” Elijah said while adjusting his cufflinks. The witch stood and gave a nod to the vampire, slowly sashaying to the door to wait outside.

“So?” John said, his voice laced with unease and distrust, the man weary of the Original and his agenda.

“It seems that the spells are one and the same; well, almost the same,” Elijah said, gesturing for the other three men to look at the books.

“If you look here and here,” Elijah began to instruct, pointing at two lines of text written in a way that no one but a witch, or someone with a supernatural affinity, could understand. “The spells are almost the same except for one key difference. The spell I had given dear Bonnie merely allowed her to procure a boon from the Spirits, enough power to help… defeat my brother. Your spell, Mr. Gilbert, requires the blood of a magically significant entity in order to bind the boon. The blood is used, per what Ms. _Bennett_ had explained to me, as an agent to prevent the witch Spirits from overpowering the witch who would be asking for a boon.”

“And this helps Bonnie how?” Alaric asked from the side.

“Well, Lily can perform a spell that would re-bind the original spell Bonnie used; granted, this time with blood of magical significance. This would allow a loophole to form, freeing Bonnie from her prone state and allowing her to keep her magic when the spell is released,” Elijah explained clinically.

“Magically significant blood? Does that mean-”

“Yes, the most potent magical blood available would be from dear _Elena_ ,” Elijah said, noting the pinched look that adorned both John and Alaric’s faces at the mention of Elena.

“I would also point out that this isn’t a sure-fire thing,” Elijah said, holding up a hand to prevent Rudy from interrupting him, “but it is the best chance she has to retain her magic. If that is what you seek for her, then this is most likely the only way to do so.”

“And does your witch agree with you? If she is… a relative, then perhaps we should have her own input as well,” John reasoned.

Elijah gave the man a regal smile, though, with the years of training and patience John had endured, he could see the annoyance sprouting at the crooks of his smile. The Original turned his head to the doorway and verbally signaled for _Lily Bennett_ to enter the room.

“It seems our companions have very little faith in my knowledge of magic. While I may not be my brother,” Elijah said, the other occupant’s none the wiser to him speaking about _Kol_ rather than Klaus, “I have spent enough time observing them; and, with memories of my mother as well, I’m confident in the knowledge that I have offered.”

“Isn’t that the reason we’re in the mess in the first place? Your _knowledge_ led Bonnie to use that spell instead of the soul binding one I prepared,” John responded.

“I hadn’t the foresight to see our mutual venture exploding in our faces like that,” Elijah quickly snipped to the man, eyeing the ring on his finger.

“Well do you have foresight now?”

“I’m confident in Lily’s ability to perform the spell, as she is very much an adept witch in her own right,” Elijah curtly responded, nodding to the witch.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help her. We are _family_ after all,” Lily said, the men in the room ignorant to the black veins that began to spread about, just slightly showing under her skin and hidden under the low glow of the room’s dim lights.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“That was quite the experience, _flying_ in that giant behemoth! The mortals have truly outdone themselves. I haven’t enjoyed an invention of theirs since they created the wonder of alcohol,” Kol said as he practically skipped out of the airport terminal and onto the curbside.

“Yes, it was certainly an _experience,_ wouldn’t you say, Harry?” Klaus asked, mumbling into the back of Harry’s neck, causing the wizard to blush a rosy red. While he expected Kol to make a spectacle of that act, the volume of the traffic surrounding them, along with the planes taking off and landing, had created a cacophonous wall of sound that shielded their interaction from any prying supernatural ears.

“Stop it!” Harry said under his breath, shirking off Klaus’ hand from the small of his back.

Klaus merely chuckled, before walking slightly ahead to the curb, where he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Holding the piece of technology to his ear, Klaus turned his back on the other three.

Harry looked in bewilderment at the bustle of the muggles going to and frog; he’d only been to an airport one other time, and that was only because the international Floo network had been interrupted by some protest that was going on in Germany. The wizard kept switching his line of focus, watching the goings-on around him until he spotted Stefan sitting on a stone bench. Looking to his right to see Kol and Klaus talking, the latter seemingly finished acquiring them transportation, Harry decided to walk over to Stefan.

Sitting next to him and setting his bag down on the ground, Harry repositioned his head to face the now apparently brooding-once-again vampire. Stefan registered Harry’s presence, giving the wizard a small smile. Said wizard raised an eyebrow, scooting closer to the Salvatore so that their thighs and the sides of their arms were touching.

“You can talk to me, you know. As awkward and uncomfortable as it probably is for you, especially now that we’re…” Harry began to say, gesturing to their surroundings, “back here in Virginia. We can talk about whatever… or… uh… whoever. Even if we almost- uh… you know…”

Harry tried to offer the vampire a neutral yet sincere smile, but his face ended up contorting to an expression that evoked a chuckle from the vampire.

“Slept together?” Stefan offered, his voice a tad bit gruffer than normal.

“Yeah… I mean… Merlin… I’m sorry, I really am. I should have been more responsible, what with you being… uh… _with_ someone. Totally irresponsible on my part, not stopping you from _gnarling_ on my neck,” Harry said, adding a joke to try and ease the mood. Thankfully, the intended effect was met, and Stefan gave the boy a soft look.

“Maybe when you’re all fixed up, we can… talk about _it. Us,”_ Stefan offered.

Harry let out a jet of cool air from his mouth, lowering his eyes, and combing the front part of his hair with his right hand. “You should probably talk to her first, maybe your brother second; if I’m being honest, I should probably be very low on your list of people to talk to.”

Stefan’s jaw tightened at the mention of his girlfriend and his brother, the vampire not letting out a sound, let alone a response.

“Seriously Stefan…” Harry said, sobering a bit, “I’m not going to hold you to something. I was a in a _right_ state, we were both _miserable_ , Klaus wasn’t breathing down our shoulders like the devil that he is… there’s nothing you’re obligated to pursue. _With me_. This is probably the best chance you have at getting off this fucked up train. Don’t stay and just leave everything you have here.”

Before Stefan could reply, Kol had sauntered over to them, pointing with his thumb to the black SUV that had parked itself in front of Klaus. “Klaus’ hulking automobile has arrived to take us to dear old Mystic Falls. There’ll be time to talk about how you’ll ravish each other when we’re not in public later!”

The pair gave the immortal teen a glare, before collecting their things and walking over to Klaus. Harry and Stefan had gone in first, taking up residence in the back seats, while the Mikaelson brothers took up space in the front two passenger seats. Klaus commanded the driver, who Harry had just assumed was a nameless face that was most likely compelled to be their chauffeur, to drive them to Stefan’s hometown.

As the car revved and drove away from the airport pickup terminal, and then past the airport itself, Harry began to feel tiredness come over him. He gave his seat neighbor a glance, to which he was replied to with a nod, before leaning over and setting his head on Stefan’s shoulders. The vampire readjusted his position to get more comfortable, lengthening his arm around the boy’s shoulders. Placing his hand on Stefan’s chest, Harry felt his eyes begin to droop and his vision begin to darken. Before long, the wizard entered the land of dreams, where his vampire companion soon joined him.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

_“You think you’re so clever, little wizard. Thinking you could hide from us, that we would not be able to get to you? You have chipped away at that precious soul of yours, and now… now you will not be safe for long. You have wronged the balance of nature by giving that beast what he wants. And if you decide to wrong us once more, you will not survive. None of them will survive.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“So…” Caroline began to say while Elena nodded along to her friend’s recanting of her message, “Bonnie’s _conveniently_ witchy cousin, twice removed or whatever, is gonna use your blood to help Bonnie get better?”

“Basically,” Elena said, nodding and answering in a breathy manner.

“That’s great! Oh my god, that’s actually amazing!” Caroline exclaimed, her voice shooting to the roofs as she realized that her friend had a lifeline. “Ok then, so… when the hell does the party start? When is- when is it gonna happen?”

“Umm…” Elena mutely responded, twirling the utensil on the table, clearly avoiding answering Caroline.

Caroline gave her friend a harsh look, tilting her head to the side before facing the egomaniac that was Damon Salvatore. “When is it, Damon?”

“Snippy, snippy, barbie. That’s not how you-”

Before Damon could bait a response from her, the blonde made a rather proactive move, flinging the back half if a wooden spoon toward the vampire that inadvertently turned her. Elena shoved herself back, gasping at the action, before glaring at _Damon,_ who had thankfully or unfortunately depending on who you asked, caught it before it could be jabbed into his shoulder.

Damon sent the girl a glare, before throwing the spoon off in the direction that Tyler had taken up a spot. “Like I said, _snippy.”_

“Senior prank night!” Elena finally said, causing both Tyler and Caroline to turn towards her.

Caroline gave Elena a long and hard look, her friend squirming a bit under her gaze. “… and?”

Elena raised both of her eyebrows, Tyler mimicking this, albeit out of Caroline’s view. “Oh, I thought that… you know…”

Caroline gave out a frustrated huff, throwing up her arms. “Elena! Bonnie’s sick, and if missing senior prank night means she gets to be better, then who the fuck cares about some stupid school thing! I’d much rather be with you when she wakes up.”

“Elena,” The blonde vampire strode forward and took Elena’s hands into her own, “I am _long_ past the point of caring about shit like that-”

“Well-”

“Tyler!” Caroline chastised the werewolf, who held up his hands in mock surrender, not wanting to argue with his maybe-girlfriend.

“Anyway… I am there for Bonnie and I am there for you. We both are,” Caroline proclaimed, turning her head expectantly to Tyler, who nodded in agreement.

“That was very cute, everyone. Good work!” Damon mockingly clapped, giving the former object of his affection a sarcastic wink. “C’mon Elena, we have to meet that creepy dad-uncle of yours!”

Elena rolled her eyes, but still went along with the vampire, waving goodbye to her friends.

“How long do you think before she realizes?” Tyler asked once the two were out of supernatural hearing distance.

“Hopefully never,” Caroline grumbled.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The car engine suddenly shutting off was the event that jolted Harry and Stefan awake; the shifting of the car jostling them from their slumbering states. Harry let out an annoyed grumble, before slowly peaking one eye open. When he was firmly aware of what was going on, his other eye had joined, allowing him a full view of what was going on around them. Moving his head up, Harry looked out the window to see a sprawling white mansion, illuminated by the soft glow from within. Upon further inspection, it seemed as though they had stopped in a wide driveway, seemingly large enough to fit a whole caravan of SUVs.

“We’ve arrived, gentlemen,” Klaus said, opening his side of the car to exit, Kol following suit and leaving Harry and Stefan to exit for themselves. The pair squeezed through the front two passenger seats and exited the car on either side, Harry following Klaus while Stefan followed Kol.

Harry crossed his arms at the Original brothers, both of them smiling deviously at each other. “So… you bought a mansion… just to stay in Mystic Falls?”

Klaus gave the wizard a small guffaw, before turning his head to him. “Well, we couldn’t exactly stay at Salvatore Manor, now could we? And, well, after our excursions these past few months, I was in the mood for something a bit more… stationary.”

“Again… a mansion? That was what you went with?” Harry again asked, skeptical of the man’s motives. 

“I’ve lived lifetimes as a king, drowning in splendor; so, excuse me if my taste skews to the finer things in life,” Klaus responded back, earning a snicker from Kol who hastily sped towards the front doors, opening them. The vampire waved his hand ahead of his body, carefully taking a step forward when he felt no resistance. Smiling, the boy quickly sped away once more into the mansion, leaving the other three to follow him inside.

All looking at each other, they shrugged and followed his lead. Harry looked back once more, though, to see what the driver was doing, only to be surprised as the man was taking their bags out of the trunk and carrying them towards the house.

“I compelled the gentleman to bring our belongings inside. Don’t worry, Harry, he’ll be sent home just fine,” Klaus goaded.

“Thanks, that makes me feel so much better,” Harry sarcastically responded as he walked into the foyer, eyeing the rather sparse looking mansion’s interior.

“It still needs _a lot_ of work, but, when I start making my hybrids, we’ll have enough labor between them all to get this place up to my standards,” Klaus said more to himself than to the other two, though they reacted nonetheless. Harry made a surprised expression, while Stefan narrowed his eyes.

“Why the hell do you need to furnish and refurbish a house you’re just staying in?” Stefan asked.

“Well, Stefan, I suppose I should let you in on a little secret. You see,” Klaus began to say, turning around to face the Salvatore, “my family used to call your precious Mystic Falls home; albeit, it was closer to living in squalor back then. While we are here to help poor Harry and his affliction, we are also here for another reason. I believe it is high time I made a home for myself, a modern-day fort or castle if you would. A place for my family and I to live, protected, and safe.”

Stefan’s nostrils flexed; a telltale sign he had exhaled a large amount of air. The younger vampire squeezed his fists before stalking up to the Original Hybrid. “No. You are not staying here, not after everything you did!”

Harry flinched, at the first sign of conflict between the two ever, so slightly, a movement that did not go unnoticed by Stefan and Klaus; both of whom had kept the wizard in the corner of their respective eyes.

“I don’t believe you have any say in the matter, Stefan. It is already done, and I fail to see any reason why I cannot call this lovely town my home once more,” Klaus said in a soft voice, though it was said with a frigid tone. Stefan had taken a step closer, his face mere centimeters from Klaus, who eyed the vampire as if he were a child and was standing up to a bully that was clearly two sizes too big for him to handle.

“Stefan,” A worried Harry said from the side, eyeing the deadly aura each was exhibiting.

“Let him posture, Harry. Maybe it will teach him a thing or two about choosing winnable battles,” Klaus said with a smirk, infuriating Stefan’s anger into cold focus.

“Enough! Enough! You’re both acting like pillocks!” Kol said from atop the staircase, breaking the stalemate between Stefan and Klaus. The former gave a growl, before setting off from the mansion into the cold of the night. Klaus laughed at the audacity of the vampire to oppose him like that, before paying that scorned _child_ no mind as he moved past Harry to get to the gallery room.

Harry let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding, relaxing a fair bit as the situation diffused. The wizard looked up at the quickly descending vampire.

“Which one will you comfort, Harry?” Kol asked, much to the irritation of Harry who glared at the Original before Accio’ing his bag.

“Well, Klaus looks like he’s going to pout in an empty room, and Stefan is probably heading towards his brother and _girlfriend,”_ Harry stated while Kol quirked his eyebrow. 

“Didn’t answer my question, wizard boy,” Kol said as he sped to pick up his bag. The vampire practically yanked it from the floor, turning to the driver to compel him away, or so Harry assumed.

“And it’s not going to be answered. They’re big boys, they can handle their emotions just fine. I’m going to bed,” Harry said as he ascended the grand staircase, slowly pacing through the second story hall before he stumbled upon a room that was suitable for him. Kol was left with a wily smirk as he watched the wizard go his own separate way, leaving the Original alone.

After entering the room, which had no bed at the moment, Harry sighed. He closed the door behind him, before flicking his wand out to cast a Muffliato. When he felt the sheen of magic spread across the walls of the room, the wizard leaned against the door, sliding down slowly till his body had hit the ground. After tossing his bag across the room, the boy curled his knees towards his body, feeling the onset of fatigue soak into his body.

The boy then flicked his wand once again before muttering an enchantment that morphed a lone table into a mattress. Getting up, the wizard tossed his bag into the corner and moved towards the bed, which sang to him like a siren to a sailor. Falling back on top of the feathery mattress, Harry inhaled slowly and allowed his eyelids to fall.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Well, maybe the lapdog had the right idea,” Kol muttered to himself as he saw that his three companions had all gone their separate ways. So, not wanting to revel in the miasmic film of angst, the Original vampire decided it was high time to let loose once more, seeing as it had been two centuries since he had last been allowed to prowl the streets of the night. 

So, like the wind, Kol had breezed outside, following the trail of lantern pole lights that would lead him to the only place he remembered passing that looked like any fun: Mystic Grill.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Oh, and make sure to send someone with a pretty face to give my drink to me, I’m rather offended by the sight of you,” Kol compelled a waiter, who mutely nodded, following the orders the compulsion had instated in his mind.

The waiter mechanically marched to the bar, his eyes dimmed. When he made it there, the man asked, “What’s the most expensive alcohol bottle we have?”

“Umm… it’s probably the bourbon we keep in the back,” Matt asked, his eyes filled with confusion. But, before the waiter could leave to go to the back, Matt stopped him.

“Yo, man, not to knock it to the people here, but I highly doubt anyone inside can afford a glass, let alone the whole bottle,” Matt proclaimed, holding on to the man as he attempted to walk forward. Operating on a hunch, he unassumingly grabbed the man, dragging him to the back and closing the door behind him.

“Who told you to get the bottle?” Matt asked seriously, his voice wavering. Despite his increased training ever since he found out about the supernatural, the boy was still only human, and he needed to know if there was something deadly in the crowd of people outside.

“I- I need to get the bottle… and then- and then I have to ask the waitress I tried to ask out last week to bring it to table four. He said he wanted someone pretty and-” The man said in monotonal fashion, trying to focus his brain, but failing to do so against the euphoria of compulsion.

“Shit…” Matt muttered before grinding his teeth and looking back at the rack of alcohol. Taking a step forward to grab a random bottle, the football player shoved it into the waiter’s arms. Then, after excavating out his phone from his pocket, the boy sent out a quick text to Elena.

“Come with help, there might be a vampire at The Grill,” Matt said to himself as he typed on his phone.

Hitting send, the blonde moved out of the compelled waiter’s way to allow him to leave, before quickly closing the door to observe which table would receive the bottle. After watching the waiter pass on the bottle to a confused waitress, the woman looked around till she spotted the table. Matt’s eyes followed her path, till it stopped upon a table with a guy, who Matt assumed to be around his age.

The boy took the bottle and gestured towards the waitress, who seemed to laugh before she went back to work. With a clear view, Matt could see the boy grab two glasses from an empty table that hadn’t been cleaned. After ogling the bottle in both hands, the boy shrugged and popped the top, pouring it in both cups. The boy grabbed one and took a swig; but, in the second it took for someone to walk by the door’s window and block his view, the boy was missing along with the two cups.

Matt’s eyes widened and his heart began to beat loudly. The high schooler jolted out of the stock room, straight into someone’s body.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

Before Matt finished his sentence, the boy could hear a grunt coming from the person who he had almost run over. Looking at the person from his lowered position, Matt once again felt his heart skyrocket, as the boy he had seen earlier was standing right in front of him.

“Fancy a drink?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, I had originally established "senior prank night" as happening on a full moon and had written it in the next few chapters (of the upcoming ritual to save Bonnie) with that in mind... until I realized Tyler couldn't possibly be there because of his hairy little problem lmaoooo! So, I had to go back and fix about three chapters for that continuity error in the making. 
> 
> Also, for those of you weary of OCs, don't worry, *spoilers* Lilly Bennett is more of a plot device than a substantive character. I just felt that, on a meta-level, the show always pulled Bennet witches out of its ass, so I thought I'd do the same lol.
> 
> Anyway, fun chapter, huh? Will Matt survive the storm that is Kol? Will Klaus and Stefan realize they both want to dick down Harry and just get over it? Will Kol stop being a little shit? Find out next time! 
> 
> And as always leave a comment if you want, but be nice! And till next time!


	16. Horrid Fantasies My Threats Inspire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forces collide and hearts are broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the new chapter! Sized up because I got self-conscious about my writing/some of the characterization and decided to recalibrate a few conversations in this chapter, which ended up padding it out. Said self-consciousness also caused me to course-correct some of the conversations/situations in future chapters, which wasn't as much fun since it ended up somewhat impacting a very... *special* chapter if you know what I mean ;) 
> 
> That being said, not *too* much has changed plot-wise, it's just that I wanted to go a bit more into the why Harry stays with Klaus and all the toxicity he brings (and why that toxicity exists in the first place)
> 
> Anyway, I do also want to just give an over-arching thank you to everyone that comments/kudos/bookmarks/whatever's this story. I know that it may not seem like much, but for a self-deprecating gay like me who doesn't believe in himself all that much, it does mean a lot when you guys interact with the story! I only hope that I can continue to bring you guys some joy in this shitty world!
> 
> Well, that said, here's the chapter! Enjoy!

“Damon, we have to go, now!” Elena fussed, collecting her jacket, and taking a stake for protection. When she had received Matt’s S.O.S. she had gone into full panic mode. With Alaric and John away with Elijah and Bonnie’s dad, she was left with very few options. And since Caroline was likely with Tyler, she came to the unfortunate decision of bringing Mystic Fall’s number one asshole: Damon Salvatore.

“Cool it, Elena. I’m sure Donavan can handle a few more minutes with a vampire. Or not. Maybe it would be some good old ‘Supernatural 101’ to break his fragile ass in,” Damon goaded, rolling his eyes at Elena’s pushy attitude and heated glare.

“Damon! We are not letting him be there alone, what if he-”

“I was _joking,_ Elena! We’ll save your precious football star from getting his jugular torn out. That being said, how do you even know the dumbass isn’t just paranoid and _thinks_ he saw a vampire?” Damon questioned.

“Matt wouldn’t joke about that! Not after… not after everything that’s happened,” Elena said, deflating a bit when thinking about the unfortunate circumstances that seemed to plague her blonde friend since his introduction into all things supernatural. 

Damon looked to the side in frustration, before letting the hot air in his lungs blow out. “Come on, we’ll take my-”

Just as he handled the door open, Damon’s words were shoved straight back into his throat as he watched his dear _brother_ reach for that very same door. Elena gasped behind him, but he paid no attention as his mind was focused on one thing. The look on Stefan’s face would be burned into Damon’s mind; a look of sadness and regret, one that he was adeptly familiar with _himself._ But it seemed as though their reunion, and the feeling of relief it inspired in Damon, had not registered itself with his body. As soon as his brother opened his mouth to greet him, Damon flung his fist out, slamming Stefan with a rather nasty right hook to the cheek.

“Oh my god, Stefan!” Elena screamed out after her momentary paralysis had worn off. The girl had rushed to her boyfriend’s side, cradling his head into her kneeled lap. The doppelganger gave a _dark_ glare to Damon initially, before the veneer of anger wore off and left feelings of warmth and _happiness_ in her being.

“I’m- I’m sorry, D-Damon,” Stefan grunted out, his head reeling from his brother’s monstrous strength. He hadn’t expected this; well, that was a lie. He fully expected Damon to throw a tantrum when he eventually made it back home, but he didn’t expect him to go for physical violence right off the bat.

Damon peered down at the pair, not noticing the tears that were beginning to spill from his eyes; but he did notice the tears that had already spilled from Elena’s eyes. “Welcome back, my utterly _stupid_ baby brother.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Someone’s up past their bedtime,” Klaus said to the painted canvas in front of him, choosing not to turn around to face his peanut gallery.

“And someone needs to turn down their music if they want to have roommates,” Harry said, eyeing the turntable that was playing a record of some orchestral music. Harry took a few steps forward, his much-too-big-for-him jumper sliding slightly to give him an asymmetrical neckline, and lifted the needle from the vinyl, instantly stopping the music. Despite this, Klaus continued to paint, his strokes growing bolder and more intense.

Curious to see what his artwork looked like, Harry strode forward, till he was just behind Klaus. Leaning over to the side where Klaus held his palette, Harry was graced with an eyeful of green paint that was slowly being molded into what looked like a bird.

“What is it?” Harry simply asked, earning a scoff from Klaus.

“Why should I explain it to someone who clearly won’t appreciate it? It’s quite obvious, well, to those who have a trained eye for the arts,” Klaus muttered, focusing on a particular spot with his paintbrush.

Harry rolled his eyes and stepped over to the side, so he was next to Klaus and not facing his back. He watched the man work the brush and noticed the delicate changes that came with his, on the surface, random strokes. In fact, his adeptness reminded him of the wand-work of his professors at Hogwarts, where even the simplest wand movement looked like the wizards were painting their will using magic.

“So… you paint?” Harry offered, cracking a smile as Klaus chuckled.

“ _Do I paint?”_ The hybrid looked over to Harry, twisting his head ever so slightly, focusing on something he couldn’t discern. “I’ve studied with, hell, I’ve even _taught,_ some of the greatest artists in history!”

“And yet, I don’t remember ever learning in primary school about the great _Klaus Mikaelson_ whenever we talked about the likes of Michelangelo and van Gogh; the best of the best,” Harry mocked lightly, smirking a bit to see the tense lines that formed at the corners of Klaus’ lips.

“You know, I was there around the time Michelangelo did the Sistine Chapel. I even gave him some _pointers_ on how to draw his forms. And van Gogh? That pretentious man had to lose an ear before he produced anything remotely interesting!” Klaus bantered to a silent Harry.

The wizard gazed at the painting once more, turning his head to follow the strokes and lines on the canvas. “It’s an interesting piece… I guess.”

“There is a multitude of words that I would use to describe my work, none of which include a simple ‘interesting’. My works are… _provocative._ They reflect the control I have over my canvas… and over my enemies,” Klaus explained.

“No offense Klaus, but I’ve seen paintings that quite literally _moved_ on their own. Most things are just _interesting_ when you’ve seen the absolute limits of the imagination,” Harry retorted.

“Well, any sort of showboating wizard could never appreciate the principle of art created through hard work. It takes more than mere ability to create something truly seminal. Talent, from hard work and strife, yield the sweetest of fruits, and the most evocative of works,” Klaus further ranted.

“You really do think highly of yourself, Klaus. I mean… ‘seminal’ and ‘evocative’… I’m surprised you haven’t gotten some bloke to put your paintings in the Louvre,” Harry joked as he sat down to watch the hybrid continue to work the canvas.

“What worth is that to me? I’d rather be regarded for my prowess than to take the simpleton’s way out,” Klaus said with seriousness.

“Could’ve fooled me,” Harry whispered more to himself than to the other man. However, in reaction to that, Klaus gave the boy a serious look. After setting his palette down by his easel and walking over, the man pulled up a second stool and was now sitting across from Harry. “And what pray tell do you mean by that?”

“Don’t be daft, Klaus. You told Stefan today that he was posturing to you, and yet… all I see is an insecure man posturing to the world,” Harry said, hardening a glare at the man. “Because from the moment I met you, you’ve taken that simpleton’s route you so loathe. I’ve- we’ve been under your thumb since day one. Instead of drawing people to your cause, all you’ve done is cheat your way into our minds, just so that you wouldn’t be left with the broken pieces of your own life!”

“What? Suddenly acting brave now, _love?”_ Klaus said to annoy the wizard. “You are merely a means to an end, and I hope you remember that. I may be have taken you here, but in doing so _my_ goals will be met.”

“You and I both know that’s bullshit, Klaus,” Harry said, his face closing in on Klaus’. “You are everything you accuse me of being. You are just as _lonely_ and _sad_ as you say I am _._ Have you ever even tried to be close to anyone besides your own family?” 

“Have you, _love_?” Klaus asked, practically breathing in the splutter and blush that Harry offered in response. “I mean, how sad is it? That you can’t even stand human contact long enough stay for more than a night. What’s the longest you’ve stayed in a single place since those three years have passed?”

“You don’t know anything about me Klaus!” Harry said, his jaw tightened severely.

“Oh, but I _do._ As you’ve so graciously reminded the both of us, I have been inside your head!”

Klaus said before reaching out and cupping Harry’s cheek in one of his hands. His thumb crept up and rubbed at the high point of his cheek, just under his eyes. “And I have seen that aching loneliness that you try to push away with every _cock_ that fucks you!”

“You are just as damaged as I am, Harry. Just because you can hide it behind those pretty green eyes doesn’t mean it isn’t there,” Klaus whispered darkly. Despite his better judgment, Harry leaned into Klaus grasp, feeling the prickles of the man’s calloused hand rub along his skin.

“Fuck you, Klaus,” Harry whispered once more, though the bite he had before was starting to decay. “I- I’m not… I…”

“Perhaps in all our dysfunction, we may find that we have some common ground _,_ ” Klaus whispered back as he eyed the wizard with a softening look, his lips even closer to Harry’s.

“And that would be?” Harry simply asked.

Klaus gave the wizard a joyless half smile, before inching his lips even closer. “Loneliness is the demon we fight; the soul-crushing notion that there may never be something stable to hold us together… it’s frightening for the both of us to even fathom navigating this world without someone else by our side. It’s why… you and I both hold on to things, even when they hurt us…”

“You always speak like you’ve known me for years… you couldn’t have spent that much time inside my head,” Harry taunted softly.

“Birds of a feather flock together, Harry.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Stefan, I think it’s better if you stay here! Damon can-”

“Elena, do you really think _Damon,_ of all people, wants to save Matt? He’s more likely to take a nice stroll over there before calling and saying ‘oops, sorry, got there too late!’ Let me go with you!” Stefan demanded from his hunkered down position on the steps of their porch.

“Cool it, brother,” Damon said with a sarcastic smile, “I’m not opposed to enforcing some bed rest with my _fist_ again. Let me and Elena handle Donavan.”

Stefan looked back at his brother with a pinched look on his face, before turning his head to his… girlfriend and giving her a pleading look. “I’ve spent an entire summer away from you guys; let me go with you.”

Elena gave Stefan a comforting look as she raised her hand to cup his cheek, only to be slightly rebuffed with a minute flinch. While Elena reasoned his reaction as Stefan giving a sign of possible injury or fatigue, Damon could see something much different. The younger Salvatore had something on his mind, and it had to do with one doppelganger.

“You know what, Stefan? You’re right! We can catch up on our way to save the day! You can even ride shotgun!” Damon said with a faux jovialness, raising his arms in defeat. “Sorry Elena, but your shotgun pass has been officially revoked.”

Elena rolled her eyes at the vampire’s melodrama. “How about no one sits in the front seat with you, and Stefan and I will take the backseat?”

Damon scoffed at his favorite human’s sass as the trio made their way to the car. Stefan seemed to walk with a stiffness, especially when Elena would try and touch him; something that Damon noticed right away. When the car doors slammed shut, seatbelts were fastened, and the engine roared to life.

“So… how was summer camp, little brother?” Damon asked, looking back at Stefan through the rearview mirror, scowling slightly at the way Elena had attached herself to his side. Oh well, Damon thought, back to the way things used to be.

Stefan gave his brother a hard glare, his teeth chewing on the side of his cheek. “I’m… not going to dignify that with an answer, Damon.”

Damon promptly shut his mouth after that, thanks in part to the harsh glare Elena had been giving him, one that he could feel on the back of his head through the headrest.

Elena sighed, before turning her head to look Stefan in the eye. “What Damon meant to say was… how are you? You’ve been gone for months… what happened? Where did you go?”

Stefan took a good long minute to formulate his answer to Elena’s queries. He owed both of them answers to why he had up and left them, and the rest of their friends, behind to leave with Klaus. But… he also had a whole set of things to worry about. Namely, how he was going to convey what he did… and if he would even admit what all he had _done._ He didn’t want to lie to them but at the same time… he had so much _shame_ over the things he had done while under Klaus’ thumb.

“After- after I made a deal with Klaus… me leaving with him for a cure for Damon… we spent weeks going from city to city. I didn’t know what we were doing there, but we just kept moving around…” Stefan began to explain, trying to hide the hesitance in his voice, “and then… he started making me… feed… on people.”

At this admission, Damon’s hand began to grip the wheel tighter, a deed that did _not_ go unnoticed by Stefan. The younger Salvatore could feel his heart beating slightly faster, and he knew he would have to explain to Damon what happened. He hoped that his brother wouldn’t air out his proverbial dirty laundry; at least, not in front of Elena.

“I felt horrible about what I was doing, and the only reason I didn’t go crazy was…” Stefan stopped mid-sentence, his mind flashing to familiar rosy cheeks and emerald green eyes.

“Stefan?” Elena asked worriedly, placing her hand on his thigh, to which he shied away from. Stefan looked away from Elena, too ashamed for not being able to comfortably act in her presence. Elena gave Stefan a somewhat hurt look before she masked it with concern, opting to tuck his aversion to her touches away into the back of her mind. All that mattered now was that Stefan was _back_ and that they needed to save Matt.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Come on, mate! Take a swig! If it’s your superior that you’re worried about, I can compel him to let you off early! Or I can get you a salary increase! Just take that stick out of your bum and have some fun!” Kol taunted the blonde boy, shaking his glass of bourbon in front of his face.

“I’m not gonna drink with you,” Matt mumbled, still spirited enough to talk back, but still scared as hell over the supernatural killing machine in front of him.

Kol groaned, setting the drink down and pushing it to the side. “When I heard you mumble to yourself in the back, I thought to myself, ‘maybe I’ll have some fun with the puny little mortal! Maybe he’ll make this hellhole of dreary suburbia worth my trip!’ But no! It seems as though I’ve picked the town’s stick in the mud.”

“Fuck you, man,” Matt spit out, his form hunched over in the booth’s seat.

Kol let out a chuckle, finding the muted bravado of the teen incredibly amusing. “You know… I’ve changed my mind. You are fun! Not in the normal kind of way, but rather, I find your continued insolence and opposition fascinating.”

“I could snap your fragile little neck like a twig and compel everyone in here to ignore it,” Kol growled out, his eyes flashing darkly and his body jutting out from his seat and into Matt’s personal space. “I could even have them torture you while I drink blood and alcohol like a mad king…”

“But I won’t!” Kol said, quickly switching back to his jovial, yet unhinged, demeanor. “Watching you squirm over the horrid fantasies my threats inspire is enough to fill my small dead heart with joy.”

“I’m used to you vampires bullying the people who can’t protect themselves… you _don’t_ scare me,” Matt said seriously, though Kol took the admission as rather comedic, responding to the blonde’s stand with laughter. In the midst of his fit, Kol shot his hand out at vampire speed, enveloping Matt’s own hand.

“Scream and I’ll tear the throat out of each and every single bar goer in here,” Kol whispered to Matt, whose hand he began to squeeze harshly enough to illicit a pained grunt out of him. Kol then looked into the boy’s eyes and allowed his thoughts to wash over the boy.

Matt gave the immortal a weakened glare, trying, to no avail, to rescind his hand from Kol’s monstrous grip. “What… the fuck are you doing?”

“Tell me about the vampires of this little town; particularly, all you know about one Stefan Salvatore…” Kol demanded, using his compulsion to command the human. He watched as the boy’s pupils dilated and celebrated internally. It was a bit of a gamble, trying to compel someone who knows about vampires; but it proved that while Stefan’s buddies were knowledgeable, they were also very _stupid_ not to cover their human bases.

Kol smiled deviously, finally setting the human free from his hold. Matt took his hand back with swiftness, cradling it near his chest. “What do you want to know?”

“Let’s start with how you first met,” Kol offered.

“I met him through Elena Gilbert. I saw that they were attracted to each other and-”

“I’d like to interject by saying first, I don’t give a damn about petty romance drama. Second, Elena Gilbert, as in the doppelganger?” Kol interrupted.

“Yeah… she’s the… doppelganger,” Matt answered.

“That’s interesting… continue,” Kol gestured.

“Well… after my sister was found… dead,” Matt said, stuttering a bit, “I found out my girl- ex-girlfriend Caroline Forbes had been turned into a vampire, and that Stefan’s brother had something to do with my sister’s death. After that… I found out that they were _all_ vampires… well, except for Elena.”

“You must be so proud to have some mortal solidarity, huh? Anyway, what do you know about his relationship with the doppelganger?” Kol asked inquisitively.

“They fell for each other since day one, I guess… at first, I hated it, and even now… it’s hard to see someone you care so much about, put herself in danger by associating with… things like _you._ She has no reason, other than the Salvatore’s, Caroline, and her aunt Jenna, to get involved in vampire business,” Matt explained.

“You really care about her, don’t you?” Kol asked, interrupting the boy again.

“Yeah… I love her… I’ll always love her, even if we don’t feel the same way about each other as we did before… all of _this_ happened,” Matt said, his voice cracking just a bit.

Kol attempted to feign interest, but he was quickly growing tired of the human’s confessional turned bore-fest. “Well, I genuinely had hope that you’d give me some form of entertainment; a reprieve for waking up after two hundred long years of pacing around in my mind, waiting for my brother to take mercy on me.”

“But it seems as though my quest for entertainment has led me to the dreariest meat bag in all of Mystic Falls. Perhaps you’ll be more fun when I have your-”

Before Kol could finish, a strong hand slammed itself onto his shoulders, gripping it tightly. Looking up, Kol was met with a pair of stark blue eyes.

“Alright, everyone! Party’s over! We gotta close early!” Matt’s boss yelled from behind the bar, though he seemed to have a rather lax delivery. When the blonde boy looked over, he could see _Stefan_ next to him, whispering in his ear, no doubt using his compulsion to evacuate the Grill. The patrons of the bar began to all file out, disgruntled that their night had to end so early. Once the last of them filed out, Elena walked in, shutting the door behind her.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Nodding his head to Matt, Damon sneered. “Get out of here, Donavan.”

Matt glared at the vampire, before scrambling up from his seat in the booth. Stomping over to the bar, the jock grabbed his jacket and gave a sullen look to Elena, who frowned at him.

“You too, Elena,” Damon also ordered, his hand not leaving Kol’s shoulder, holding him in place.

“What?! No! I’m not leaving you guys!” Elena countered.

“Like hell, you aren’t, Elena. I’m not gonna let you risk your life because you want to play catch up with Stefan!” Damon grumbled.

“Damon! I’m staying because-”

“For the love of- please just _shut up!_ Your melodrama is just as rancid to my ear’s palette as that boy’s was. Spare me the performance and just get on with it,” Kol said sardonically.

“You heard him,” Stefan simply said, walking over to the booth, making sure to place himself in between Kol and Elena. Once all three were situated, Elena and Stefan had sat across from Kol, who gained a seatmate in Damon as he hunkered down into the booth. Looking between the two sides, Damon gave a mischievous look, before slamming a fork into Kol’s hand. The action had caused Elena to jump up in fright, while Stefan gave a rather strained look to both his brother and the Original in front of him.

“Is that any way to treat a guest in your town?” Kol growled out, the only indication that he was affected by the stabbing, as his body did not immediately react.

“ _Guest_ would mean we invited you, and, well, I don’t know who the fuck you are. So, let’s say we remedy that, and we’ll go from there?” Damon said.

Kol gave the older Salvatore a harsh glare, before turning his sights to Elena. “Well… _that’s_ a face I haven’t seen in a _very_ long time.”

Elena gave the vampire skeptical look, subconsciously leaning away into the back of the seat. “You’ve… seen someone who looked like me?”

Kol gave the human girl a small chuckle, before giving a smile; though, the occupants of the table knew the boy was much more dangerous than he let on. “I’m pretty sure I saw the _first_ girl that had that face, _Elena Gilbert.”_

Elena gave the vampire a wide-eyed stare, her mouth almost slackened, before she realized she needed to show restraint and strength.

“Well, you know us, it seems. But we don’t know _you,”_ Damon said smoothly, once again placing his hand to grip Kol’s shoulder. The vampire simulated struggling in the grip, but Stefan and Kol both knew it was just a farse.

“I don’t think I know you that well. Just… that face is one you don’t really forget. Ever. Isn’t that right, _Stefan_?” Kol asked, eyeing the silent Salvatore now.

“So, you know my brother too? That’s great! Here, let me introduce myself! I’m Damon Salvatore! Stefan’s hotter, stronger, scarier brother!” Damon said sarcastically, although it failed to draw Kol’s attention from Stefan.

“I frankly don’t care,” Kol said, finally taking his eyes off Stefan for a brief moment to convey his annoyance with the older Salvatore, before returning his gaze. “Now, I’d appreciate it if you asked your Neanderthal of a brother to remove his hands from my persons before he _loses it.”_

Stefan took a long glance at Kol, before sighing and closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “What the hell were you doing in town, _Kol_?”

Damon gave his brother a bewildered look, while Elena offered a quizzical one. “Wait, wait, wait! You know this douchebag, Stefan?”

Elena didn’t offer her own commentary, instead choosing to analyze the look marring Stefan’s face.

“I wanted a bit of _fun_ , seeing as you left my brother and our favorite little raven in a tizzy. I didn’t particularly want to spend the night with those two moping over you,” Kol answered, an easy smile on his face.

“Hold it! Hold it! Back everything the fuck up. Stefan, who the hell is this?” Damon asked his brother harshly, his grip tightening on Kol. But, before Damon could receive his answer, his hand was gripped by Kol, who with incredible ease, launched Damon onto a neighboring table, breaking it upon his impact. As Damon tried to get back up from his unceremonious launch, Kol vampire sped to him and placed his boot on Damon’s chest, stopping him in his place.

Applying immense pressure, Kol was elated to hear the fracturing of Damon’s sternum and several ribs. Twisting his boot, a bit, Kol pressed even harder, until a shrill voice behind him cried out.

“Stop it! You’re hurting him!”

Kol rolled his eyes, before easing his pressure, but not taking his foot off of him entirely. The vampire kneeled down, and as the sound of Stefan restraining Elena from running up to the pair went on in the back, he whispered to Damon. “The name’s Kol _Mikaelson.”_

When the older Salvatore’s eyes lit up in recognition and a bit of _fear,_ Kol completely removed his boot while stepping back. “I’m just going to assume you won’t be returning home tonight. I’ll make sure my dear _brother_ and your dear _raven_ are informed of your whereabouts. See you soon, Stefan.”

And with that, the Original vampire was gone, speeding out of the door, and leaving Elena and Damon baffled. The two, once Stefan had stood to help Damon up, glared at him.

“Mikaelson? As in Klaus and Elijah _Mikaelson?_ As in the fucking Original _Mikaelson’s_? What the fuck is going on, Stefan? And why did you two sound cozy and familiar?” Damon interrogated.

Stefan looked at the two, not knowing what to say at the moment. When he finally mustered up some courage, he spoke quietly. “I’ll tell you everything… when we get back.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Alright, enough with the secrets, what the hell is going on? Why do you know the boogeyman’s brother, and why are you acting like a cat chewed off your tongue!” Damon yelled as the trio arrived back at the Salvatore boarding house. The three exited the car, awkwardly walking to the house.

“He brought his brother back because… there was something wrong, something to do with magic, I guess. His brother’s a whiz at that stuff, so he left for a few hours to pick him up. Then, we flew back here,” Stefan said with an exasperated sigh, too tired and emotionally stressed out to want to argue.

“Well, do you have any idea what ‘magical’ problem required an immortal hybrid to take his brother out of cold storage?” Damon once again asked, earning a glare from Stefan.

“Damon!” Elena finally said unexpectedly, surprising the two who had nearly forgotten she was there. “Don’t push him!”

Stefan took a look at his… girlfriend, watching the concerned look on her face grow as he grew wearier. He then turned his head to his brother, whose arms were waving around in frustration, an uncharacteristic feat from his brother. Though… he was certainly not the one to talk about acting out of character.

“Thanks,” Stefan whispered to her before he grabbed her by the wrist. “Can I talk to you?”

“Of course, Stefan, you can talk about anything,” Elena said rather fast, her desperation and worry spilling out. Damon had already left to enter their home, not wanting to hear what he assumed to be the couple’s returning sonnets to each other.

“Well, umm…” Stefan began, his stuttering reflecting the inner turmoil in his head. He had wanted to take this time to… cut things off before they got too precarious.

Elena sighed, offering her hand to the vampire, who took it with a confused look. “Do you remember when you first told me you were… you know, a vampire?”

“Yeah? You freaked out, said you didn’t want anything to do with me,” Stefan recollected.

“And do you remember when I finally got over it, and we promised we wouldn’t keep anything between us?” Elena said in return, causing the vampire to stiffen just a bit as if anticipating the girl’s next words.

“Stefan… you don’t have to lie to me. Even if… even if it’s something I don’t want to hear, I want you to tell me. At least give me _that,_ after all that we’ve been through,” Elena said, startling Stefan with her maturity.

“I… I think I- we… we need to,” Stefan said, unable to release the words out of his mouth. The brunette doppelganger squeezed his hand, her eyes beginning to water. As the soft sniffling began, Stefan looked up, ashamed, only to be met with a look a sadness, yet understanding.

“Yeah… I- I expected it… Damon said it would come. I always said that we’d be able to… get through it… together, but…” Elena began to say, her voice rattling with the tears spilling back into her throat, “god, I was really hoping _that_ wasn’t what you were going to say.”

“I’m sorry Elena, but… I’m not the same guy you fell for… I know… it doesn’t seem like all that’s changed, but…” Stefan said, his eyes too beginning to water. “you’ve only known me for a year… there’s so much… so much of me that you’ll _hate,_ and I don’t think I can…”

“Stefan…” Elena said weakly.

“I’ve always respected your choices… I’ve always respected _everyone’s_ choices. So right now…” Stefan said as he raised a hand to wipe a tear from Elena’s cheek, “please… respect something that I’m _choosing_ to do. That’s all I ask.”

Elena nodded her head slowly, closing her eyes to give her some sense of stability.

“I’m sorry,” Stefan whispered, kissing her cheek before standing up to walk away. The girl allowed herself the grief to sob for a few more moments, before standing up with her dignity and turning around to her car.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

As the younger of the two walked inside, the older gave the stink eye to Stefan. “You are a piece of shit, you know that?”

Stefan gave a look of annoyance, before bumping shoulders with his brother to walk in further.

“And here I thought you were the more gentlemanly of the two of us. Dick move leaving your girl out in the middle of the night _crying,”_ Damon spat.

“She’s not _my girl_ anymore. And besides,” Stefan said with attitude, swiveling around to speed over to her brother, “you were probably hanging off her every word while I was gone. You’re pissed off now, but in the morning, you’ll be cheering because now, you have a _chance.”_

Damon allowed the silence to hold for one second before he launched himself, punching his brother in the jaw. The younger, expecting retaliation, but nothing this severe, was taken aback.

“That’s for breaking her heart, dumbass,” Damon said indignantly, before walking off towards their alcohol, leaving Stefan to mull over his thoughts.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“I’m home now! Nik, I hope you’ve kept the wine flowing and the blood aplenty!” Kol yelled out into the void of the foyer, hearing the distant murmurs of jazz music playing. Following it through the mansion, Kol found himself in the gallery room, where a peculiar sight was laid for him to happen upon. Sitting on a stool with a palette and brush in hand was his dear brother, furiously willing the paint with his strokes to take form. But, to his side was a rather lush and soft looking reclining chair, which tucked inside, held Harry, who appeared to be asleep.

“Any louder and you would’ve awoken him, Kol,” Klaus muttered, knowing his brother could hear him. Said brother sped to just behind him, his eyes going from the painting in front of Klaus, to the wizard whose gentle breaths filled the room in equal weight to the soft jazz.

On the canvas, which Klaus had allowed Kol to see in its entirety, was plastered with greens of varying shades, all interlocking and melded together to create a very particular form. The dark shades added depth and detail, and the lighter ones brought serenity and beauty. But, the most striking part, was the innocence of the piece.

“Harry missed seeing you, brother. I hope you weren’t causing too much trouble in town,” Klaus said to his brother, not taking his eyes off of his painting.

“Well, when our dear wizard wakes up, I’ll be sure to be there with open arms!” Kol sarcastically whispered to his older brother.

“Better you than me, perhaps,” Klaus muttered, his face closing in on a particular spot of the painting.

“Oh? Why is that?” Kol asked.

“We had a rather heated argument today. We both said things we probably didn’t mean…” Klaus said, tilting his head.

“Yet he’s all snuggled up to be your perfect muse,” Kol said, his eyes drifting to Harry.

“He is, isn’t he?” Klaus said, finally glancing over at Harry’s sleeping form, imagining those vibrant verdant eyes that looked at him with such defiance. Looking back to his painting, Klaus continued to stroke along the edges of the central form, surrounding a dark raven in an Eden of foliage.

“It’s rather impossible to get the right shade of green. There’s just nothing that compares,’ Klaus said to no one in particular.

“No… no there isn’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elena rn: IT'S OVVVVERRRRRRR, never thought it would beeee. Why in the world did this happen to meeeeeee? How could I let the sweetest of dreams slip awayyyyy?
> 
> They are DONE! Hopefully, that scene read well. For me, I felt like if I didn't do it now, it would be a WHILE till it actually happened, and because of future chapters, I ended up going back to this one and having that moment play out here. I also wanted to show that Elena, in all her spoiledness from the show, is going to be more mature and slightly less needy/self-centered.
> 
> Also, STEFAN IS SINGLE NOW AND READY TO F-
> 
> Anyway... hope you enjoyed this one. The next one is where the plot thickens!
> 
> As always, comment if you want, just be nice!


	17. Anything Is Better Than Waiting Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Klaus explore the town and brother's go blow for blow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many, many, many, many apologies for not updating at the nine-day mark! I had to rewrite it a bit to shift around the timeframe of things, as I had realized from the chapters after this that having things be as slow wasn't going to work out at all. That being said, for the next few chapters, if there are any time discrepancies, please let me know so I can fix them! I spent the extra two days- *cough* watching Hannibal for the first time *cough* - rewriting, so I may have missed some things. 
> 
> Anyway, here is the next chapter! Characters are reconnecting, bonding, and meeting for the first time! Enjoy, and leave a comment if you want, I always try to reply if I can, so don't be shy!

Waking up, Harry was fully expecting to be greeted by the plain walls of his apparent abode for the time being. In the few days that he had spent here since arriving, Harry had started to become a little more accustomed to the bareness of it all, a stark contrast from the rooms he’d usually stayed in. But it seemed as his expectations were for naught as his eyes were opened to a much more discordant version of the room he was staying in. There were plastic sheets strewn across the floors and tape demarking the edges of the windows. He was even met with the sight of his belongings neatly placed on top of a console table, though covered by more plastic sheets.

To add to his shock, Harry quickly realized that he no longer was sleeping under the transfigured bedding he had made when he arrived; in fact, he was snuggled up in what he assumed was expensive linen, from the feel of it, and the most luscious bed he had ever put his back to. Taking a deep breath in, Harry sat up gently, stretching out his arms.

“What the-”

“Hope you don’t mind the decorum. Trying to guess what shade of chartreuse you would like your bedding to be was tough, given we’ve only known each other for a few days. But, in the end, Klaus chose something that matched those pretty eyes of yours,” Kol snarked out, holding in his hand a cup of what smelled like warm tea. Harry’s morning eyes lit up, taking a deep inhale of the herbal smell.

“Well, at least now I know you’re a proper gentleman. God knows I would have been highly _disappointed_ in you if you liked that coffee shite Klaus was drinking. Such a sad moment, finding out your own brother would gladly pass up a good old cup of Black Tea for some brand name garbage,” Kol said, putting on a fake pout.

“I hope that tea is for me, what with all that talking this _early_ in the morning,” Harry said in a gruff voice, his head still fighting off the last vestiges of sleep. Rubbing his eyes clear, Harry was surprised to see Kol standing by his bedside, having sped to him with his vampire speed no doubt, and holding out the cup. “Thank you.”

After taking a cursory sip, Harry looked up to the immortal and raised an eyebrow. “I’m… very curious to know how in the bloody hell you got all of this construction up with me waking up.”

“Well, you can thank the wonders of vampiric mind control for that,” Kol said to the now wide-eyed Harry, before covering his mouth with the back of his hand to laugh, “you have got to stop being so gullible. It’ll get you killed someday!”

“Kol…” Harry said in warning, to which said vampire rolled his eyes.

“Klaus made sure our workers were very clear not to wake you. I think he described it as… _‘a small act of asking for forgiveness on my part’_ which, congratulations by the way. Very rarely does he feel remorse so openly.”

“Hurray for me,” Harry said in a mocking monotone voice. “Whatever… thanks for the tea…” 

“No problem, Harry,” Kol said with a smile, eyeing up the wizard’s splayed out neck. “When you’re ready to face the world, Klaus is waiting for you downstairs.”

“Thanks,” Harry said with a small frown, one which reminded Kol of Klaus’ admittance of their fight. Speeding out and leaving the wizard alone, Harry was left to his cup of tea and his thoughts, of which were swimming around in his mind.

That night had been… something; an experience with Klaus almost unlike any other he had up until this point. Sure, they had their disagreements and fights; hell, he’d been trying to get out from under Klaus’ thumb for months now. But that night had been… there was such anger and resentment that flowed out from the both of them that come this morning, Harry was feeling rather alleviated about it. It had been very difficult to hear Klaus point out his flaws, especially since he had no right to know them in the first place. To that, though, it was satisfying to be able to tell the immortal bastard off once again.

“Merlin…” Harry muttered to himself as he tossed his covers away and palmed his newly gifted tea, taking a good long sip. Once he was more acclimated to the world of the waking, Harry excavated himself from the bed, walking over to his bag and taking a change of clothes. After setting down his cup and taking a shower, Harry left the room fresh and ready to deal with the bullshit of the day.

Walking down the stairs, Harry was greeted by a sight of numerous bodies shifting around; some were holding furniture, others were holding tools and construction equipment. When he made it to the base of the staircase, Harry was met with Klaus conducting the crowd, pointing at things, and having people follow his lead.

“Do I want to know where all these people came from?” Harry asked as he made his way to Klaus, who gave the wizard a soft smile.

“Good morning to you too, Harry,” Klaus said with a small smile as if their hurled insults and psychoanalysis of each other hadn’t occurred.

Harry gave the hybrid a funny look, with said hybrid relenting with a sarcastic nod. “I… compelled a few workers from town to help out with the renovations. Don’t worry, they’ll be compensated for their time.”

“Sure, they will, Klaus…” Harry muttered, watching as Klaus’ drones worked. “So, is this all you’re planning on doing today? Stealing away your neighbors to act as manual labor?”

“No, Harry, I am in fact not going to spend my entire day doing menial labor,” Klaus said, passing off a clipboard to the nearest worker. “I was going to ask if you’d be… willing to accompany me into town?”

“I’d rather have Stefan show me around his hometown,” Harry mumbled.

“Don’t be like that, Harry, Besides, you risk having some potential tag-alongs to that tour. You are brave, but certainly not that brave,” Klaus jested.

Harry let out a sigh, before stomping away to the entrance of the house. “Let’s just get this over with. The faster we can escape this mansion, the faster I can actually end up having some fun.”

Klaus smirked hungrily at Harry as the raven passed off the cup to compelled high schooler on his left. Grabbing his keys from his pocket, Klaus sped over to the car he had ordered to be rented for him and opened the door for Harry, who sat in the front seat. Walking around to the driver’s side, the hybrid sat and started the car. Tuning the radio to an old jazz station, the pair sped off towards the town.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Good morning, sunshine!” A loud and obnoxious voice yelled to him, awakening him from his tepidly peaceful slumber. Stefan groaned to convey his annoyance but knew it was a fruitless effort, as his brother had never once shown him reprieve since his breakup with Elena.

“This early? Really?” Stefan grunted, sitting up and shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight of dawn. Damon had been the ever so lovable big brother and opened the curtains to his room.

“I figured you’d need as much sunlight as you could, seeing as your diet lacks enough nutrients for a healthy, growing boy like- oh wait?! That’s right! You’ve been off Bambi burgers and fox milkshakes!” Damon sarcastically said to Stefan, who in turn glared at the older Salvatore.

“Get dressed, assuming you still remember where your clothes are,” Damon yelled as he stomped away, leaving Stefan to get up and get dressed.

“Oh, and by the way…” Damon began to say with sarcastic glee, “I think I’m finally ready to forgive you.”

Stefan rolled his eyes, going back to the moment where he predicted this very event.

Walking down the stairs of their shared manor, Stefan was hit with a wave of nostalgia; granted, it was only a tiny bit, seeing as he had only been gone for a few months. But it still hit him differently, to walk down and to their kitchen, where Damon was cooking up pancakes and drinking what Stefan soon found out was a blood milkshake. His eyes ran dark for a quick second, before becoming normal again; something that caught Damon’s attention.

“Well, at least now I know you aren’t fully a _Ripper_ , or you’d have torn off my arm for this,” Damon said, shaking the milkshake in front of him as if he was a child and the shake was a toy.

“Damon…” Stefan mumbled with a sour look on his face as his brother brought up his addiction.

“What?! Can’t be too careful, especially since you’ll be around poor, defenseless humans more often now,” Damon said, flipping one of the pancakes. “Wouldn’t want someone to get a paper cut around you and you end up biting their heads off. _Literally_.”

“Fuck you, asshole,” Stefan instantly said.

Damon held his hands up for a few seconds before scooting around his brother to plate the now done pancakes. Decorating them as cartoon vampires with fruits and whip cream, Damon served them with a sarcastically.

“So… what’s happened since I left?” Stefan asked, sitting down to eat, though it was done more from habit, than from necessity.

“Well,” Damon started, his lips pursing a bit, “long story short? Bonnie fucked up with that spell to kill Klaus and is in a coma. Apparently, Elijah, you know, brother to the psycho you were road-tripping with, has a way to help her.”

“Coma?! I- when did it happen?” Stefan asked, stunned.

“A little bit ago. Yeah…” Damon said, plopping himself down across from Stefan, who had pushed his pancakes aside, “Elena’s dad- you know, John Gilbert- the asshole that he is, told me they need Elena’s blood for it.”

“So, they can fix her?” Stefan asked.

Damon shrugged, before taking a fork and cutting himself a piece of the pancakes Stefan was eating. “Apparently so. If you ask me though, I _highly_ doubt doppelganger blood is gonna get Bonnie a ‘get out of the Spirit’s jail’ card.”

“Spirits?” Stefan asked, intrigued after his recent encounter with Gloria.

“Yup,” Damon said, enunciating the ‘P’ hard. “Apparently when she fucked up, she pissed them off _bad_ and they poisoned her, or something like that.”

Stefan stared at his brother for a good minute, his mind racing back to Harry’s affliction. The two, Bonnie’s and Harry’s, sounded remarkably similar; though, it seemed as though Bonnie was afflicted differently than the wizard.

“Uhh… hello? Earth to Stefan? Did Klaus fry your brain or something?” Damon said, waving his hand in front of Stefan’s face. The younger of the two swatted the hand away as he stood up.

“Yo! Where the hell are you going?” Damon yelled as Stefan began to walk towards the front door. But, before he could open it, Damon sped over to intercept him, grabbing hand in a vice grip.

“Explain. Now,” Damon said with hard eyes, clearly not releasing his grip until Stefan spilled his beans.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“And _that_ is where my brothers and I used to sneak away to watch the werewolves run,” Klaus said, pointing at a part of the town’s square, which was adorned with a marble statue.

“Mhhm. Very interesting,” Harry said sarcastically.

“I’m beginning to think you aren’t exactly interested in knowing the rich history of this town,” Klaus said, walking in tandem with the wizard, giving him a smirk.

“Did you realize that during the spiel about old wells? Or were you going to wait until you talked about where you took your shits?” Harry asked with his own smirk.

“I could always show you where I spent my nights of passion with my fellow-”

“I… _don’t_ need to know where you had sex with pilgrims at, thank you very much,” Harry muttered.

“They were _far_ after my family and I,” Klaus corrected, earning an annoyed huff from Harry. The pair eventually made their way to the town’s square, where they watched as many of the businesses along the road began to open their doors.

“Perhaps I can treat you to breakfast as an… apology for our little spat?” Klaus asked, turning his head from Harry to one shop in particular.

Sighing, Harry looked towards where Klaus was before turning to face the bastard hybrid. “If you pay for that, and _all_ of my meals, we can work on forgetting you shaming me for sleeping around.”

“It’s a deal then,” Klaus said as he led Harry over to a breakfast restaurant not far from the square, where they had chosen to sit outside and bask in the sunlight. After ordering some simple egg dishes, Harry and Klaus fell into a comfortable lull.

“That look on your face, Harry… I know you’re dying to say something,” Klaus said with a smirk towards the wizard, who in response blushed slightly, thankful to the early sun’s rays for covering his embarrassment.

“So… Kol. I’ve only known him for a few days, and I can already tell he’s not exactly… normal,” Harry finally said.

“Ahh… my dear younger brother. Leaves quite the first impression, huh?” Klaus said, with Harry nodding in agreement. “Always the rambunctious and troublemaking one. He and my sister… they were tiny terrors. My poor mother could barely keep up with all of us boys, and when Rebekah was born… well, she thought she’d have a partner to combat the raging testosterone of the Mikaelson clan. She was wrong, of course.”

“Your mother… I saw her… I think,” Harry finally muttered at Klaus’ mentioning of the Mikaelson matriarch, earning an unreadable glint in Klaus’ eyes.

“When you had me sever the link of magic on the Other Side… she… she made me see my parents… but they _weren’t_ my parents. They were these ghouls, these bastardized versions of them. And… she was so _angry_ when I broke it. I could feel it wafting from her. I’ve only ever felt _that_ kind of anger once before,” Harry explained, with Klaus leaning forward.

“Sounds just like her. Vindictive and wholly a banshee of a woman,” Klaus grumbled, taking the time to lean back as the server brought their food to their table. After the waiter had left, Harry began to speak again.

“I’ve seen banshees before, Klaus. She wasn’t _that_ horrifying, I admit. I could definitely see where you got some of your looks,” Harry said, earning an eyebrow raise from Klaus.

“Oh, she can be quite the _monster_ herself, given the chance,” Klaus replied.

“She can’t be _all_ bad. I mean… the energy there, it’s so _wrong_. If I had to spend my afterlife there, I would probably end up just as bitchy. Err- sorry,” Harry tilted his head in apology, to which Klaus just smirked.

“Don’t worry love. I have no qualms about disrespecting the dead. Especially the woman who bound me,” Klaus said with a serious tone.

“But… still. She was your mother, and well… I may not have had the pleasure of growing up with mine, but I’d like to think that she’d have my best interest at heart,” Harry said wistfully.

“I highly doubt she’d have my _best_ interest at heart. Frankly, the only good thing she did for me was that she gave my siblings and me immortality,” Klaus said, causing Harry’s eyes to bug out.

“Your _mother_ was the one who created vampires?” Harry asked.

Klaus gave the wizard a small smile, before nodding. “A great feat of magic that still goes uncontested to this day. Granted, it pissed off our _ancestors_ , but… as we both know, there’s not much you can do that _won’t_ piss them off.”

Harry returned Klaus’ laugh at his joke. “No… I guess being an abomination to ‘nature’ and being an accomplice to said abomination means you’re blacklisted over there.”

“You shouldn’t speak ill of the dead. They have a _very_ apparent habit of seeking revenge on the living who desecrate their memory,” A prim voice to their side said, causing Klaus to tense up.

“I was wondering when you were going to show up… Elijah.”

“It’s nice to see you again brother. Last we met, you had quite literally stabbed me in the heart,” Elijah pressed as he moved a seat from another table. Harry looked at the two brothers with careful eyes.

“Well, it’s a good thing it didn’t kill you,” Klaus said with tightness in his voice.

Elijah scoffed at that, rolling his eyes a bit, before turning himself to face Harry. “It’s been a bit since we last spoke, Mr. Potter. I do hope my dear brother has been treating you well enough.”

The vampire held his hand out, and Harry stared at it for a minute, until Klaus seemed to sense his trepidation and nodded his head. Harry then took the offered hand and reciprocated a quick shake, before retrieving his hand back. “Well, if there’s anything to know about me, it’s that I can take care of myself, even in the face of egotistical bastards.”

Elijah smiled at Harry’s response of resilience, even going as far as to feel a bit of schadenfreude at Klaus’ pinched face. “Oh, don’t worry, after a fair bit of research on the elusive vagabond that is _Harry Potter,_ I can at least definitively say you are vastly interesting _._ I think it impossible to be anything but _impressed_ by you.”

“I… don’t know if I should be flattered, or worried by that,” Harry said to the older Mikaelson.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Potter. _Sanguini_ had only kind words to say,” Elijah said, not reacting to the wide eyes of Harry, nor the squinted ones of Klaus.

“What are you doing here, brother? I highly doubt you’ve come to enjoy the drivel of small-town eateries with us,” Klaus said with attitude.

Not one to beat around the bush, Elijah opened up his suit to pick out his phone, to which he seemed to scroll through a couple of screens, before finally stopping. Extending his phone out, the pair were met with a video of the mountain-scape of Tennessee; one in particular that, from recent memory, was the place where Klaus had tried and failed to raise his hybrids.

“A little birdie alerted me to your little adventure in the Appalachians- tsk tsk, brother,” Elijah said, adding a condescending finger wave to his brother, “I thought you had long given up the dream of raising an army of hybrids at your disposal. In fact, I believe you had told me so many decades ago that you had settled on unlocking your werewolf side as your ultimate prize. What, with our mother _and_ father dead, you had nothing to need fodder for.”

Klaus glared at his older brother, before barking orders to Harry. “Harry, I think you should meet me at the car. I won’t be long; just need a few minutes of my brother’s time.”

Harry glared at the hybrid, tightening his hold over the arm of the seat. “Like _hell_ , I’m leaving, Klaus!”

“Go! Now!” Klaus growled out, the sense of euphoria washing over Harry’s mind. Begrudgingly, Harry tossed his napkin onto the table and sent a harsh glare at Klaus, who only seemed to focus on Elijah at the moment.

Once the wizard was out of earshot, Elijah leaned his head back, before giving his brother a mocking clap. “I know your people skills are… lacking, brother; but compulsion is certainly _not_ the most ethical way into someone’s heart.”

“Stop-” Klaus yelled, slamming his hands on the table, “with the pretty words and exasperating psychoanalysis. What. Do. You. Want?”

Elijah’s calm facade faded just a bit, enough to allow Klaus to know his brother was getting very serious. “Months ago, I had thought that you sunk the rest of our family to the bottom of the ocean; only for you to tell me that they are actually safe. Fast forward to this week, when I receive a message from Damon Salvatore that our dear brother _Kol_ is roaming the streets of Mystic Falls. Now… tell me, doesn’t that sound just a bit odd?”

Klaus scowled at Elijah, the older of the two merely blotting away the crumbs of the beignet he had taken a bite of in the interim of time it took for Klaus to pout. “I freed our brother, so what? It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done it.”

“No, it wouldn’t be. But it would be the first time you’ve done it for a reason other than your self-inflicted loneliness. You needed him for something, and I want to know _what.”_ Elijah said with precision, his words intended to portray his seriousness.

“Now, why would I tell you anything, brother? I have the most distinct feeling you’ll be trying to impede my plans,” Klaus said, his hands folded in front of him as he started down his brother.

“Niklaus, for the centuries I’ve known you, I have learned the devious ways your mind works. As little time as I have spent with them, I have grown quite… fond of Elena Gilbert and her bandy group of friends. I promised to right a wrong, one that you and I had caused; and, should your plans intercede with my own, then… you would be hindering my promise to them,” Elijah explained, flicking the ice-cold words that left his tongue.

“Ever the honorable man. Loyal and respectable, even to the most insignificant and feeblest of ants,” Klaus drawled out.

Elijah smirked and looked to his watch, before looking back at his brother. “I have very limited time for this tête-à-tête, Niklaus. Surely you can indulge me, as repentance for the ills you’ve cast upon our family?” 

“You know me better than that, Elijah. I’d sooner ask for forgiveness from father than divulge my plans,” Klaus smirked as well, taking one last sip before using his vampire speed to disappear in a gust of wind, but, not before whispering a parting message into Elijah’s ear.

“Be careful who you trust, brother. Is the Bennett girl worth it?”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Bloody fucking idiot! Just when I thought he was a decent fucking person, he reminds me exactly who he is,” Harry angrily grumbled to himself, leaning on the hood of Klaus’ car.

“You should probably tone down the swearing, you’re gonna give those old ladies over there a heart attack,” A rather deep voice said from his side. When Harry looked over, he was met with the sight of a boy who embodied every single stereotype imaginable for an ‘All-American boy’: blonde, rather tall, or at least taller than him, well built, and the most alluring ice-cold blue eyes.

When the boy noticed his staring, he gave a shy nod, before pointing over to the bench in the square, where Harry saw the aforementioned old women both making an inefficacious effort to hide their staring. After giving them a small wave, Harry turned to the boy, who seemed to be unloading something from his truck.

“Need any help with that?” Harry asked, walking over to the blonde.

“Uhm… not to be mean or anything, but I don’t think those noodle arms are gonna help lift these,” The boy said, pointing to the large crates of what smelled like fresh produce.

“Mm… when you don’t want to be mean to someone, you don’t go and insult them before learning their name,” Harry said, giving a smile and an eyebrow raise.

“Oh uh… sorry, dude,” the boy said, rubbing the back of his head before stepping forward to shake Harry’s hand. “Matt. Matt Donavan.”

“Harry. Well-met,” Harry said in the most obnoxiously British way possible as he took Matt’s hand.

“Just Harry?” Matt said, with it being his turn to raise an eyebrow now.

“I wait till the second date before I start giving out my last name,” Harry said with a wink, making Matt fluster.

After a rather conveniently timed coughing fit, Matt returned to bend down and seize up a crate. “Well, _just Harry,_ why don’t we count you helping with the smaller boxes as date number one?”

“Anything is better than waiting here,” Harry said with a smile, taking up a much more manageable box in his arms.

“So, not to profile you or anything, but I’m guessing you aren’t from around here?” Matt asked as they made their way into the Grill. Setting down their boxes, the two began a back and forth, both in conversation and in movement.

“Was it my charming accent, or the paperwhite skin that led you to that?” Harry asked in a cheeky manner.

“A little of both. Not that, you know, you have ugly skin or anything. It’s just-” Matt sputtered once he realized how rude he sounded. Harry gave the boy a chuckle as he assisted Matt in carrying a particularly heavy box, which, of course, he cast a silent feather-light charm on to help. Not that Matt needed to know.

“Not to worry, Matt. Don’t bruise your own ego too much, I’m sure the boy next door thing works on all the girls here,” Harry joked, smiling at the humble disagreement Matt had muttered back to him.

Once all the boxes were finished being moved, Harry had sat at the bar, to which Matt went behind and poured them a splash of some kind of alcohol. “Umm… I don’t visit America that much, but isn’t the drinking age here twenty-one?”

Matt handed the wizard a glass, offering his to toast. “Consider this date number two.”

With that, Matt downed the drink, followed by Harry, who, too used to the extreme alcohols of the wizarding world, was unphased by the proof of the drink, unlike Matt who gave a small cough. Harry gave the boy a smile of pity, before setting his glass down.

“Potter. Harry Potter,” Harry said, offering another hand, a gesture Matt accepted well enough.

“Well, Harry _Potter,_ welcome to Mystic Falls.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think drinking on the job is legal Matty 0_0... 
> 
> ANYWAY, hope you guys liked this. It acts as a sort of... calm before the storm, as next chapter, A LOT happens. And by a lot, I mean, A LOTTTT. And the chapter after that...well, let's just say its the moment we've all been waiting for...err- one of those moments ;)
> 
> As always, comment if you want, but be nice, and have a nice day!


	18. There’s Always Prying Eyes Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of wheels begin to turn, and fate brings it's favorite wizard closer to strings that bind this town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes, two late chapters in a row, sorry guys :/ Planning for this coming semester of college, during this pandemic, made me feel very ~not good~. So, I took an extended break from all things writing. It didn't really help, but, hopefully, I can get back into the groove of things to distract myself. (And sorry to unload on you all, since I'm sure you just want to get to a certain wizard getting his cakes smashed by two very attractive vampires.)
> 
> ANYWAY, this is a very important ~plot~ chapter! While there isn't much description for a certain moment in this, if you've seen the show (which, I would hope you have given this fic lol) I hope you can understand what exactly it is I just did!
> 
> Ok, venting and pre-story hyping are done now, so enjoy the chapter! And leave a comment if you want, just be nice!

“I’m going to chain you to your bed and use some good old water torture, with _vervain_ of course, if you don’t spill it, _brother,”_ Damon growled to Stefan, who he had trapped on a seat in their living room. 

“Damon-”

“Cut the _bullshit,_ Stefan. I’m tired of the emo whiny crap you’ve been on since you got back. There’s something you aren’t telling me. Now, normally, I would respect your distance, but seeing as it involves the murderous psycho who tried to kill everyone we know, I think we should push past the point of respecting boundaries,” Damon ranted, cutting off Stefan.

“He _compelled_ me, Damon. Klaus made me follow every single one of his commands,” Stefan finally said, standing up chest to chest with Damon, who looked slightly surprised at Stefan’s loss of composure. “He’s been _inside_ my head; he’s messed with things I didn’t even know were there! You want me to tell you what happened? What’s on my mind?”

“I don’t know what I fucking feel! I can’t think straight because all that’s there is _blood._ I look at Elena and I see a walking blood bag!” Stefan began to scream, with Damon backing up with wide eyes, not used to seeing his brother be so expressive. “And when I look at Har- when I look…”

Stefan began to turn around, placing his hand on his eyes in frustration. The vampire began to walk towards the whiskey they kept out, pouring himself a drink. “I can’t be honest with you because I can’t be honest with _myself,_ Damon. I’m sorry.”

Damon’s hands fall to the side as he let out a giant sigh. “Well, if I knew you were going to go all ‘therapy session’ on me, I would’ve dressed for the occasion.” 

Stefan let out a weak laugh, stepping to the side as Damon poured himself a drink as well. “To unstable emotions and shitty coping mechanisms.”

“Here, here.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“How long are you going to ignore him?” Kol asked, his feet planted on a table while leaning in a rather ornate looking chair.

“I don’t know,” Harry mumbled out, his body wrapped in silk blankets. The wizard, after an unceremonious dismissal, had Apparated back to the mansion, where Kol was seemingly watching the compelled denizens of Mystic Falls do their housework.

“It’s not good to stay in bed all day, Harry. While those sheets do look comforting, there is a much more interesting world outside of these walls,” Kol said, stretching his arms.

“Not while Klaus is out there, and not while…” Harry began to say, but his voice became muffled by the bedspread surrounding him.

“You can’t avoid _them_ forever. It’s better to salt the wound now before it’s too late,” Kol said, swinging his feet off the table and changing his position.

“Who the bloody hell says that?!” Harry whined, causing Kol to let out a small laugh.

“The thousand-year-old vampire who’s currently acting as your ear. I could be grabbing a _snack_ downstairs, or better yet in town, but here I am, moping with you,” Kol said with a fake pout, a soundless action that was annoyingly audible in his tone.

“Please don’t eat someone, it’s bad enough they think they’re getting paid, let alone in danger of being mauled by a hungry vampire,” Harry said, finally tossing the covers that were obscuring his face away to the side.

“Harry, if there’s anything that is actually occurring, it’s the compensation of the people downstairs. I, for one, wanted to just eat them all; but Klaus thought you’d get cranky if we did that, so he just wrote some checks to them,” Kol explained, ignorant to the look of surprise on Harry’s face.

“Oh… he was actually being serious about that…” Harry said quietly.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned about Nik, it’s that he is truly the most untrustworthy man in the world,” Kol began to say, shushing Harry before he could interject, “but, when he cares, he _devotes_ his heart and soul, even if it’s not the most obvious of gestures.”

“Great case you’ve made for him, Kol,” Harry launched back sarcastically, looking over to Kol, who was giving him a strange smile.

“Would you rather get years of pent up emotional trauma from the lapdog?” Kol said, earning a glare from Harry.

“Stop! Why do you even call him that?” A frustrated Harry asked, fully maneuvering his body on the bed so that he was lying on his stomach and facing the vampire.

“Well, he’s certainly not a bodyguard, nor an equal; so, I call him what I see him as, Klaus’ little _bloodhound,”_ Kol said sarcastically.

“He’s not a dog, and certainly not a _lapdog._ It’s not his fault that Klaus compelled him,” Harry replied, causing Kol to raise an eyebrow.

“Be that as it may, the dog still slaughtered as much as Nik did. Even more, or so I heard. Why do you hold my brother to such standards, when you allow the dog to kiss those lips of yours,” Kol asked.

“Is this your perverse way of making a case for your brother?” Harry asked, his voice tiny, but not unheard by the Original.

“If it was perverse, darling, I would’ve made the case of enjoying the _both_ of us. Mikaelson men never disappoint, I assure you,” Kol said, smirking at the fiery blush on Harry’s face. The vampire did not flinch as the wizard threw another pillow his way, nor did he react when said wizard stepped out of his bed to cast a spell at him; the vampire speeding out of the room.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Tonight is the night. I would say to make sure you were on time, but I feel as though that would be a rather superfluous plea, given what is at stake,” Elijah said to Elena over the phone.

“We’ll be there, Elijah,” Elena mumbled as she walked up to her bedroom.

“And is Damon Salvatore accompanying you, Elena?” Elijah asked in a curious voice.

“Uhm… no, he isn’t. Figured it was a bad idea, considering… all that he’s done to her. It’ll just be Jeremy and Jenna. And Ric, of course,” Elena explained.

“And what of the other Salvatore?” Elijah asked, in an even more curious manner.

“Stefan? He… uhm… I don’t know…” Elena said, her face marred with an uncomfortableness, their breakup still fresh in her mind. 

“I should not have to remind you that he spent quite an extended amount of time with my brother. There’s no telling what he could have put into his mind, nor what he could have compelled him to do. It would serve you best to be cautious around him,” Elijah said to her.

“I know! But… it’s Stefan. He wouldn’t hurt me or do anything to hurt our friends. I know him!” Elena said, defending the vampire. While they were officially _over,_ she still felt the need to defend him from the Original, even if it was over something as trivial.

“Elena… if you really believed that, you’d be at his side right now. Yet, you are alone,” Elijah said in criticism, the doppelganger flinching at the all too real jab his comment unknowingly hurled at her. “All I am saying is to be careful. Try as he might, Stefan may be a participant, willing or not, in Niklaus’ schemes.”

“Do… do you know something, Elijah? If he tries something, or wants to try something, you need to tell us. It is your fault that we’re… that _Bonnie’s_ even in this situation in the first place!” Elena demanded, catching the attention of Jeremy, who had come out of his cave-like room and his moping to check on his sister.

“I have to profess that I do not know any of my brother’s machinations at the moment. Merely, I am acting on preparation and caution. It would not serve to help Miss Bennett should we allow my _brothers_ to meddle,” Elijah explained to her.

“Then you should keep your _brothers_ in check,” Elena said with attitude.

“I will try. Goodbye, Elena, as I have final preparations to take care of,” Elijah said, not giving the girl the chance to respond.

“Who was that?” Jeremy asked from his door, his earbuds around his neck.

“Um… it was Elijah. He was calling to make sure we RSVP’d for tonight,” Elena said sarcastically.

Jeremy didn’t reciprocate the humor, as his face became more serious. “Elena, don’t joke about this!”

“I know! I know!” Elena said, soothing the boy’s pinched face. The girl sighed, before turning to go to her own bedroom. Passing by, she caught a glimpse of a photo of her, Caroline, and Bonnie. It was of their first day as cheerleaders, and they were ‘all smiles’.

“We’ll get you back, Bonnie.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The morning, which had given way to the afternoon sun, had then receded into the horizon, giving breathe to the night.

The group had gathered at Bonnie’s home; her father pampering her with comfort, though her prone form was not acknowledging any of it. While Elena, Caroline, Tyler, and Jeremy were in the room with Elijah, Rudy and Lily, the other adults were waiting outside of the door, in the living room. Said witch, who had washed her hands in a pristine copper bowl, took out her grimoire and placed it at the foot of Bonnie’s bed.

“Tonight, we will be freeing my fellow Bennett witch from the clutches of the spirits. Let her body be free,” The witch said with reverence, her words infused with magic, as the unlit candles around the room sprang to light, startling most of the guests a bit.

“Elena Gilbert, in the presence of the moon, our goddess in the sky, do you give your blood?” Lily asked, her hand outstretched. Elena, her arms wrapped around her sides, awkwardly stepping forward.

“I- I do,” Elena said simply, waiting for the witch to command her. Lily, seeing a slight hesitation, took Elena’s hand into her own, grabbing it to meet the end of a blade, which punctured the skin. The doppelganger flinched, a quick intake of breath escaping her mouth. The witch guided her hand atop the bowl, with which the droplets of blood were collected until the water became a stained red.

When enough was collected, the witch shunted off her hand, as well as her need for the doppelganger’s presence. Sensing she was no longer needed, Elena took a step back, into the arms of Caroline.

The witch, at the signal of Elijah, stuck her hands into the bowl, leaning her head back. The moonlight began to show through the window and landed onto the copper dome. The witch then began to chant; first, in Latin, but then in a language even Elijah was unfamiliar with. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and the flames of the candles began to burn even more intense.

In a flash, the flames reached a fever pitch, as both Bennett woman began to let out soundless screams, Bonnie’s body seizing as Lily’s remained still.

Bonnie screamed her voice hoarse. A moment ago, she was on her bed, her movements locked from her control, watching as her friends and family all crowded around her. Now? She was lying in a field, the world unnaturally grey and _lifeless._ The air felt wrong, the grass felt wrong, _everything_ felt wrong. The only other thing she noticed was the weight in her hand, light, yet noticeable.

Raising her hand to her face, Bonnie was met with a crystalline-like vial containing a liquid that reflected a familiar shade of _red._

“Oh, the mess you’ve gotten yourself into, child,” A familiar voice, one that almost instantly brought tears to her eyes, said behind her.

“Grams?”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Where the hell are you going? Elena said Bonnie’s was a no-go zone,” Damon said, downing a glass of whiskey, his feet kicked up and his posture relaxed.

“I know, I’m going out to… let off some steam,” Stefan simply said, earning a chuckle from Damon.

“Ok. Make sure you don’t leave any _litter_ behind when you go _out,”_ Damon said, using air quotes when saying ‘out’.

“Fuck you,” Stefan said with a roll of his eyes, leaving out the front door.

“Love you too, little brother!” Damon yelled to an empty house, gesturing behind to nothing.

Stefan sauntered over to his car, getting in, and starting the engine; but he didn’t change gears, nor did he press the gas. He sat there, in the presence of the hum of the engine, thinking to himself. His hands drifted to his pocket, palming his phone, and taking it out. Dialing a number, Stefan waited for the other side to answer.

“Hello?” The soft voice said on the other line.

“Uhm… hi, Harry…” Stefan responded, his voice showing his nerves.

“Stefan?” Harry responded, his sweet lilt bringing a small smile to Stefan’s face.

“Yeah, I uhm… we haven’t talked since that night, so I wanted to…. uhm… see if you were doing good,” Stefan said, trying to hide his stutter.

“It’s fine, Stefan. After that spat, I figured you would want to meet back up with your friends and with… Elena. All that you’re missing over here is Klaus and Kol ordering people around… including _me_ ,” Harry replied.

Chuckling a bit, Stefan then spoke again. “Yeah… Elena… listen, um… if you’re free tonight, I’d love to see you again. You know… catch up… and stuff.”

“Very smooth,” Harry teased, the innocent nature of Stefan’s request bringing a smile to Harry’s face, one that was audible even through the phone. “I’d be happy to meet you to _catch up._ There is days’ worth of crap I’m sure we can both unload on each other… Merlin, that sounded… uh… yeah. Meeting, yes. I am totally down for a d- seeing you tonight…”

“That’s great… uh… we can meet at-” Stefan stammered out, Harry’s agreeing to meet him being the only thing that registered in his mind.

“How about that clocktower? I’m sure you can get us in there. No offense, but it’s probably the only interesting place I saw in town,” Harry said.

“Sure, I mean, I think I can compel some of the officers in the police office to let us by- err… maybe we can use your magic, just in case the sheriff has them on vervain,” Stefan said, correcting himself.

“So… a town where the sheriff that doses their officers with vervain? And here I thought this was just another small American town, filled with cute boys and vampires running around,” Harry joked.

“That’s Mystic Falls for you, more trouble than it’s worth if you ask me,” Stefan responded.

“Can’t be that bad, you’re from here,” Harry said after a moment of silence.

“So, meet you in town in like ten minutes?” Stefan finally said.

“Just let me know when you’re there and I’ll Apparate over there since I got to visit this morning,” Harry responded.

“That teleporting thing you do?” Stefan asked.

“Yes, as you so aptly put it. My _teleporting_ thing,” Harry said with a small laugh.

“See you there,” Stefan said with a grin that his brother would probably describe as ‘shit-eating’.

“Can’t wait.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“What? How can this- how are you here, in front of me?” Bonnie said as she ungracefully stood up, tears welling up in her eyes at being in the presence of her dear grandmother.

“I’ve always been here, watching over you. Granted, I do miss being able to tell you how foolish you are getting all up in this vampire drama,” Sheila said with her eyebrows arched, giving her granddaughter a knowing smirk.

Said granddaughter gave a wet laugh, before launching herself towards the spirit. “I missed you. So. Much.”

“I know, baby girl. But,” Sheila said, detaching herself from the embrace, but holding Bonnie with a loving grip at her arms, “we both know you aren’t here for a reunion.”

Bonnie nodded sadly, allowing her grandmother to wipe her tears away. “I messed up. Big time. Something happened with a spell, and the spirits, they-”

“They reacted like they always do, _spitefully_ ,” Sheila said with certainty, shrugging.

“My friends, they’re trying to help me. They contacted a relative, and she’s apparently helping me, but… I don’t know why I’m here, and not awake,” Bonnie explained, the heaviness in her chest lifting bit by bit.

“That’s a curious thing,” Sheila hummed, before dropping her hands and placing one under her chin in thought.

“And you said she was a Bennet?” Sheila asked.

“Yeah, from what I hear, she knew this vampire name Elijah Mikaelson, he’s an-”

“Oh, love, I know him and his family. You’d be hard-pressed to find a witch over here that hasn’t had that name come out of their mouth, especially these days,” Sheila said, “speaking of… we need somewhere more private to talk, follow me.”

“Private? There’s no one here, Grams,” Bonnie said, following Sheila despite her confusion.

“Oh, honey… one thing I pray you won’t have to learn for a _long_ time is that over here, on the Other Side, is that there’s _always_ prying eyes around,” Sheila explained, stopping in the middle of another clearing, beckoning Bonnie over with a held-out hand.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

As Bonnie felt the grasping tenderness of Sheila’s hand, the world around her began to spin, and the chill of the air began to recede, and in its place, warmth and homeliness were in its place. The surrounding area began to shift as well, turning from the forest it was before into a more familiar visage, one of Sheila’s old home.

“I- how did we get here, Grams?” Bonnie asked as Sheila guided her to sit on the couch.

“Witches have free reign over here; a cosmic boon for being dead, you know?” Sheila said with a smile, chuckling at Bonnie’s reaction to her.

“Now… tell me everything,” Sheila asked, and, as her Grams had requested, Bonnie had explained all that had happened; from the envoy of witches employed to Klaus, to his subsequent freedom, to her seeing spirits, it was all laid bare.

“Dammit… you really did get yourself into a hell of a bind, Bonnie,” Sheila said with an exasperated sigh.

“Grams… what do I do?” Bonnie pleaded.

“Well, first off,” Sheila started off, palming the vial of blood Bonnie had, “we’re going to figure out how the hell we get you back, safe. Then, I’m going to try and find out why the hell some cousin of yours wants Elena’s blood on the Other Side.”

“It was part of the spell, or at least that’s what I heard them discussing,” Bonnie said, studying the inquisitive look on Sheila’s face.

“It’s one thing to want the doppelganger blood for a spell in the living world; but, it’s an entirely different thing to want it over here,” Sheila said with a hum at the end, “you sure she was a relative?”

“Grams, I was in a coma for all of it, I could only go by what I’ve heard,” Bonnie said.

Sheila clicked her tongue, rolling the crystal vial between her fingertips. “Something doesn’t seem right, dear. I’m afraid that…”

“Afraid of what, Grams?” Bonnie asked, leaning in.

“If I send you back, that leaves this,” Sheila said with the vial held up, “a mystery. And, I’m probably not the only one that knows it’s here now.”

“So, what then?” Bonnie asked another question.

“You hand it over to me,” A voice said behind them, the words said unleashing a frigid chill over the once hearth like room. The Bennett witches turned their heads, facing a woman garbed in what looked like old-time clothing. While Sheila instantly drew the vial back and whipped her arm out in a protective stance, Bonnie froze in place, her breath knocked out of her chest.

This was her… the witch she had seen before she was locked within her own body, unable to control her motor skills. Sheila looked at the woman with a glare, while the woman reciprocated a Cheshire-like smile.

“My fellow witches, I’m disappointed that you would hold something so powerful in your grasp and not converse with your sisters on this side,” The woman said in an accented voice, very reminiscent of… a certain group of vampires.

“Your sister witch, the one on the living side, was so kind as to allow us nature-keepers access to one of the most powerful substances in the world. A once in a millennium agent, powerful enough to bind even the most rabid of beasts,” The woman explained.

“Is that what this is? Who could’ve known,” Sheila tried to placate before the woman unleashed a wave of… _wrongness._ Like the air became rancid; polluted with something dark.

The energy hit the two witches with force, but it seemed to affect the older of the two more than the other. Sheila grasped her chest, the vial falling to the floor by Bonnie’s feet.

“Grams?!” Bonnie screamed, dropping to meet her now prone Grams.

“Hand over the blood, and I will stop this senseless violence against my sister,” The woman said, her voice beginning to distort, echoing as if there were many, as opposed to the one.

“Bonnie! Don’t!” Sheila said through labored breaths, grabbing the vial once again in her hand. “She’s… she’s trying to corrupt me!”

“What?! What should I do?” Bonnie whispered, the woman raising her arms, causing Sheila’s skin to grey.

“Crush… it… you need to use it to get out… don’t let her have it!” Sheila said, panting as the greyness overwhelmed her form. But, before it overtook her completely, she was able to pass on one last message to her beloved granddaughter.

“Don’t trust any _witch_ … cut yourself off… don’t let them in your head…” Sheila said, before passing out, the greyness completely encasing her once beautiful skin in the same _wrongness_ as the air.

“Grams!” Bonnie once again screamed, crawling away into a stance. The woman drew near her, holding out a hand.

“Give it to me, and I can save your grandmother,” The voice said, a sickly sweetness masking what Bonnie knew to be pure _darkness._

“Like _hell,”_ Bonnie said before she held the vial and crushed it in her hands, spilling the blood all over her palms.

“No!” The woman screamed, launching herself at the younger witch before a blinding light encased Bonnie, shielding her from the other, who recoiled back. While the light had repelled the witch, it had not done so to Sheila, whose now _ghoulish_ form had tried to latch onto Bonnie’s ankle. Though she felt fear and sadness at seeing her Grams in that state, there was a whisper in her head; one of Sheila’s kind voice.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The world around her was then shredded by the light, and she felt herself fall… fall straight into her own body. Lurching up with a scream, Bonnie was greeted by the surprised looks of her friends and family.

“Bonnie!” They all screamed, crowding around her, all except for Elijah and… Lily.

The other Bennett witch stared at her for a moment before her face shifted in rage. The witch began to lift her arms, pointing straight at Bonnie and the friends who had attached themselves to her. Taking advantage of the commotion, she was going to exact the orders that had pounded into her mind from the Other Side. And, as Bonnie looked through the bodies that surrounded her, she saw this, and with a swift and primal action, let out a guttural shout.

“Don’t hurt my friends!” Bonnie screamed as a wave of _energy_ swept over the room and echoed outward from her body. The energy followed the traces of magic Lily was using, like a bolt of lightning attaching itself to a metal rod. The wave was felt by all in the room, who were launched back by an invisible force; all, except Lily, who had a pained look on her face.

The witch clutched her head in her hands, before crumbling down to the ground. The bewildered audience stared, from their disheveled positions, at both witches. Elijah, being the oldest in the room, was the first to recover.

“What is going on?” He asked seriously, his brow furrowed.

“Is she alive?” Bonnie asked, her head pounding.

“I- Bonnie, what’s going-” Her father tried to ask before she interrupted him with a harsher question.

“Is. She. Alive?” Bonnie asked, now facing the Original. After a moment of listening and filtering out the pounding heartbeats of the people in the room, Elijah focused on the pulse of the witch he had brought and was… surprised to hear that it was no longer there.

“She is… dead,” Elijah said with finality, the faces of the teenager’s in the room all ashen white from shock. Bonnie looked to him, then to her father and friends; then, finally, to her so-called cousin on the floor.

Closing her eyes, Bonnie remembered her Grams’ last words to her, before promptly passing out again, launching her entourage into worried screams yet again.

_“Green… she’s afraid of green eyes. I can see it, now that she has me… find them… be safe… I love you…”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Bonnie screamed as a wave of energy swept over the room..." hmmm, I wonder where Bonnie could've gotten something like that... ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ;) 
> 
> Anyway, I'm not following canon precisely, so bear that in mind... hehe...
> 
> ALSO, next chapter... woo next chapter is a FUN one! And that's all I'll say!
> 
> Final note, like I said last chapter, I made some adjustments timeline-wise, so if there are any discrepancies in terms of time, please let me know!
> 
> If you enjoyed, feel free to leave some comments and feedback, but be nice!


	19. It’s Nice To Meet You Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New bonds are forged as old ones are snuffed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Me, yesterday, about to upload this chapter*: Wow, these intro notes are so cute and I put so much effort into them! Hopefully, it endears me to the people reading this story!
> 
> *Me, after my internet cuts out and I lose it all*: So anyway, let's just upload this tomorrow, cause I don't have time for this bullshit...
> 
> As you've already guessed, this was supposed to be out yesterday! But, unfortunately, my internet cut out so I was unable to! But, that was then, and now you get to experience this today! Anyway, this chapter earns the explicit tag because we finally get to see Harry get together with a certain vampire! While the other one is up to no good!
> 
> I've marked where the explicit scene begins and ends if that isn't your thing, so watch out for those! And if you liked this chapter, feel free to comment! I do enjoy getting them, and if you even have pointers on how to improve my sex scenes, feel free to leave those too LOL! But as always, be nice!

_“Those aren’t the kinds of spells third-years should be looking up,” A rather deep voice said behind the bookcase Harry was leaning on in the library. Harry, recognizing the voice, laughed a bit, before dramatically closing his book and placing it back into the spot he had procured it from, which, just so happened to be right in front of the voice’s face._

_“I didn’t know you were in charge of what spells I could and couldn’t learn,” Harry sarcastically joked, the owner of the voice deciding to stay behind the bookcase and speak to the boy._

_“I am when a cute little corruptible underclassman decides he wants to read about hexes two years too early,” The voice said, much closer to the level of his head, indicating that the owner had kneeled down to ear level._

_“Just trying to be ‘proactive’, or whatever Hermione calls it. She threatened to not help me with my essays, so I have to learn this all on my own,” Harry said with a pout._

_“Your friend may be right; yet, you are still way too young to be acting like you have O.W.L.’s,” The voice said in both humor and in resignation, knowing that he had to tackle the standardized test himself._

_“Not like I’ll retain any of it. The second I’m on the Quidditch field, all of it will just drain out of my head,” Harry responded._

_“Says a lot about a student who can’t balance sports and academics. You’ll never make Auror if you act like that,” The voice said softly now._

_“Not everyone’s perfect like you are…”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“You look nice,” Stefan said with a smile on his face, watching as Harry appeared out of thin air in front of him; the vampire deciding to wait at the underside of the Grill’s side entrance.

“Wow, plus one for Stefan Salvatore. Though… you couldn’t have picked somewhere in the park… like behind a bush,” Harry said, looking down in slight disgust at the half-eaten lettuce leaf stuck to his shoe.

“Oh, well… I figured you would want to land somewhere… out of sight,” Stefan said, punctuating the last part.

“I guess it’s the thought that counts,” Harry said with a sigh, waving his wand to clean his boot and relieve it of the stowaway vegetable. “Now, let’s see that bell tower!”

The wizard rubbed his hands together in a mock-maniacal manner, like a villain straight out of an old muggle movie. The vampire escorted Harry to the base, which in fact housed the police headquarters for the town. Peeking in, the vampire saw that there were a few straggling officers in there, doing nightly paperwork and such.

“There should be a staircase in the back of the office, we’ll probably have to speed over there,” Stefan said, already ready to grab Harry and use his vampire powers to get them over to the stairs before anyone could notice them.

“We could always go for the more fun route,” Harry said, stepping back with Stefan to point towards the Bell Tower itself, “I know you vampires have all that strength. Maybe you could, like… launch us there?”

Stefan gave the wizard a faux-scandalized look, before offering a gripping smile. The vampire placed his hands on Harry’s back. “Next stop, Mystic Fall’s famous-but-not-really Bell Tower!”

The liftoff was a fun experience, as Harry, despite his many experiences being up in the air, had never done it with another body so close to his. The feeling was magnificent, and Harry was very accepting of the way Stefan held him so close. Their destination was one of the windows that had been removed for wood rot, leaving an empty space only covered by a plastic sheet.

Unfortunately, the landing was… for the most part, the same as all of Harry’s infamous landings. Meaning: while Stefan had landed perfectly, the momentum and force had caused Harry to trip once he was out of Stefan’s grasp, almost falling right off of the ledge. But, being ever the gentleman, Stefan sped over to catch Harry.

Harry gripped the vampire’s neck as the Salvatore held the wizard in a delicate embrace. They held that position for more than what most would consider courtesy before correcting themselves upright. The pair then walked over to the Bell Tower’s namesake, the Maxwell Bell, and ogled it.

“Not to be rude, but… I guess wizards are much more adept at their craftsmanship. It looks a bit sad, to be honest,” Harry jokingly mumbled, elbowing Stefan to tease the hometown vampire.

Stefan offered the wizard a laugh before going up to the bell and flicking it, causing a bit of ringing in the air. “This was made before I was born, I guess they had low standards for metalwork.”

The two continued on their small talk for a bit until they walked over to the open-air window they entered from, tossing aside the plastic covering that was blocking the view of the rest of the town. The pair watched as the lights of the night lit up; one by one, the storefronts and streetlights blinked to life. Illuminated by the glow of those lights, Harry peaked his head a bit out further from the window, swiveling his head to see the town in all its mundane glory.

Looking up, Harry blankly stared at the blank sky, the stars too dim and washed out by the lights on the ground to show up. “You could see the stars back at my school. I remember sneaking up to one of the towers to just watch them. Millions and millions of lights, twinkling so freely.”

“Never pegged you for a stargazer,” Stefan said, his eyes focused solely on Harry. The lights from below had given the wizard an almost ethereal look, mesmerizing the vampire; not that Harry had to work particularly hard to capture Stefan’s attention.

“I’m not. When you have to take a class based on reading them all, it… loses the glamour,” Harry chuckled, closing his eyes as if he were reminiscing. “How about you? Any sleepless nights under the stars? I’m sure there weren’t that many things that could pollute the night sky back then!”

“Ouch. Just call me old, why don’t you?” Stefan said with a mock blow to the heart, eliciting another chuckle from Harry. When the two had calmed down, Stefan offered a much more grounded and real answer. “When I was younger… and human, I used to sneak away at midnight, every night, to watch the stars with my brother. Back then, there wasn’t much to pollute the skies. It was fascinating to see all those stars… to see all the colors swirl.”

“That sounds… perfect. I can’t imagine what the sky looked like back then…” Harry said, trailing off a bit at the end, “… a lot of things must have changed.”

“I’m sure they haven’t changed as much as you think. When you’re immortal, you notice that things only every change once in a while, while other things… they never really do,” Stefan said in a sage-like fashion.

“Is that so?” Harry said.

“Yeah, like over there,” Stefan said as he pointed towards a line of storefronts, “those stores are sitting right on top of the old farmer’s market.”

“I guess people are creatures of habit,” Harry mumbled to himself, momentarily forgetting the other could hear him.

“Some. Not all,” Stefan said in response, giving the slightly surprised wizard a small smile.

“Well, I unfortunately fall into the ‘ _some’_ category,” Harry said, turning to Stefan.

“Why is that?” Stefan asked.

Harry gave Stefan a timid grin, before turning his face away. He had wanted to say that he was prone to falling for the same kinds of guys, but instead chose to keep the thought to himself, not giving the other a verbal answer.

The two sat in silence once more, the hustle of the town’s nightlife keeping the space between them from becoming utterly soundless. That is until a shooting star had passed through the night sky, a shining and speeding beacon shooting across the blackness. Harry watched it in awe, with Stefan’s eyes glancing only for a moment, before going back to Harry.

“So, what did you wish for?” Stefan said with a smile on his face.

“You aren’t supposed to say them, they won’t come true if you do!” Harry said with a pout, though Stefan could sense the jesting.

“Come on, oh great and powerful wizard,” Stefan said with a mock nod, “let’s see behind the curtain!”

Sighing, Harry chewed the side of his cheek; his hands winding around each other. “I wished… I wished for courage. Courage to…”

“Courage to what?” Stefan asked quietly, his body inching closer to Harry’s.

“Confront how I feel… courage to try and actually chase after something that makes me happy and less… lonely,” Harry said in a low voice, his gaze focused on his lap. Stefan watched the wizard wind his hands, before placing his own to hold them. Harry looked up, his eyes meeting Stefan’s own verdant pair.

“I spend so much time travelling, and I forget… I do what I do because I’m trying to chase after the fleeting feeling of… content. I spent so much of my life deprived of that feeling that I ended up chasing it through Europe…” Harry said wistfully, with a tint of melancholy. “But… sometimes… it feels like I’m actually running away from feeling lonely… rather than chasing after fulfilment.”

“Merlin, I’m…” Harry suddenly said, before letting out a giant sigh, “that was probably way too much and way too serious for a night out… sorry.”

“It’s… it’s no problem, Harry…” Stefan said with a curl to his lips.

“You know what I wish for?” Stefan said in a whisper after letting Harry unpack his mind. Harry offered a confused and _cautious_ glance, before nodding to the vampire to continue. “I wish that I could finally do something for _myself._ To want something, so much, that I take it. Not to… not to let anyone make decisions for me. I wish that I had the heart to…”

Stefan stopped his sentence, watching the way Harry’s eyes shined in the dark. The wizard’s face was so close to his own, their hands jumbled in a mess, and their bodies touching.

“Stefan…” Harry feebly murmured, his mind telling him to back away- to exit the situation- but his body and heart locking him in place.

_I wish I had the heart to choose you;_ an unsaid wish, a soul-affirming want, a desperate need. Kisses between friends shouldn’t last this long, yet… were they really friends? How much had they ached to warrant the passion? And how much regret would they feel after?

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Are you sure about this?” Kol said over the phone, his voice low and muffled under the hum of the streetlight above.

“I’m quite sure they’re here, if the first-job cars and suburban mediocrity are anything to go by, I’m definitely in the right place,” Klaus said, palming his phone with a light grip. The hybrid was standing in front of a certain house, on a certain street, waiting for his moment to strike. After consulting, or to a normal person, _coercing_ , the information of Bonnie Bennett’s hospital discharge, Klaus had the area under surveillance. While he did compel a sum of citizens to work on his home, he did spare a few to act as his hidden eyes and ears around the town. And now, his foresight was about to be rewarded.

So, the man waited against the streetlight’s pole, listening in as his brother’s witch dispelled the younger witch from her Spirit induced chains.

“You should be careful around the witch, Nik. There’s a large possibility that she’s already been compromised. And even if she wasn’t, you’ve made an enemy of everyone in that house; there’s no guarantee that they’ll let you take her if it comes to that,” Kol said, voicing uncharacteristic worry for his brother.

“Don’t you worry, brother. Besides, _she_ isn’t the one I’m after,” Klaus said with a devious smirk, hanging up the phone with no farewell.

_“Bonnie!”_ Klaus could hear coming from the back of the house, no doubt the motley crew of teenagers engaging in a celebratory cheer. Before Klaus could roll his eyes at the absurdity, a few indiscriminate screams and a very _powerful_ wave of force stopped him from doing so. The man’s brow scrunched greatly, and with an adept sense of curiosity, he sped closer to the house, trying to key into what the hell was going on.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“What the hell is going on?!” Alaric said as he ripped the door open, Jenna and John right behind him. The three adults had been disturbed from their fruitless efforts at biding time by the screams of the teens, followed by a radiating sense of _something_ unnatural washing over them.

The vampire hunter looked at the state of the room, where all occupants were crumpled onto the floor and Bonnie in a more disheveled state than before. Alaric then turned to Elijah, walking over to the vampire to hold him by his collar.

“What the hell happened? What did you do?” The man asked angrily, Elijah giving Alaric a very blank stare.

“I’d unhand me, Mr. Saltzman. I’m sure no one in this room would appreciate you missing any limbs,” Elijah said with a deadly sense of ice-cold neutrality. The vampire hunter complied, before turning around to help Caroline up, as had Jenna and John with Elena and Jeremy despotically.

Once all the teens were up and taken care of, they were all ushered out of the room despite their resistance. The adults had shut the door, with John reconfirming what Elijah, and Jenna, already knew.

“What did Bonnie do?” Rudy said in a whisper, disbelief, and shock, on his face. From his daughter’s awakening or her apparent murdering of her cousin, he did not know. All he knew, was that there were _more_ things that had gone wrong.

“Why’d she even do it in the first place?!” John asked skeptically, using a discarded blanket to clever the body of Lily. “I’ve never even heard of magic working like that. I mean, there weren’t any incantations or anything of the sort!”

Jenna took the scene in, and while she was now part of the undead, she was still getting used to the entire process of supernatural occurrence. Every day was a new challenge for the woman, and every day she was increasingly thankful that she had the support system that she did. Looking over at the Original, Jenna was able to see the way the vampire’s face morphed in a well-concealed, but still visible, confusion.

“What do you think happened, Elijah?” Jenna asked, crossing her arms, and turning to the man.

“I’ve lived for a millennium, and yet… I’ve never seen anything like that. Not even the darkest of magics have replicated what Bonnie had just done. The sheer force of will to protect her friends…” Elijah said, tapering off at the end in order to begin to walk towards the door. But, before he could latch onto the knob, Jenna used her newfound speed to stop him.

“Don’t forget, Ms. Sommers,” Elijah said, looking with unimpressed, yet amused, eyes, “You were reborn months ago. I have _centuries_ on you and every single person in this _home._ Do not test me.”

“Now, I’ve held up my end. Bonnie was awoken and is now safe. I simply ask in return that you and your ilk would stay out of things that do not involve them. Namely, my brothers and the trouble they might bring,” Despite the man’s even tone, Jenna could sense the danger, and promptly backed away to allow the vampire to open the door and leave. Speeding through the doorway, as to not interact with any of the teens, the vampire had left the house completely.

After the mini confrontation, the other adults, sans Rudy, had left the room, closing the door behind them.

“Alright guys, I think it’s time that we… uh… leave. Give Bonnie some time to recover,” Alaric said, palming the keys in his pocket.

“Well, is she fine?!” Jeremy asked, the only one with enough indignation to speak up.

“She’s fine Jeremy,” Alaric said, though an _‘I think’_ was left unsaid. “Bonnie’s dad will make sure to call us when she’s up to it. Now, let’s leave them be.”

The Gilbert siblings gave their pseudo-guardian an unsure look, before marching on along with Jenna to their car. Soon after them, John walked out as well, leaving Caroline and Tyler behind.

“I don’t know whether to be happy that Bonnie’s supposedly ok now, or whether to be freaked out because that witch tried to murder us with witchy-ness,” Caroline said as she and her boyfriend walked out of the house and towards their respective cars.

“I’ll stick to the first one,” Tyler said with a slightly pinched face, “because it’s way too fucking late to think about the second one.”

“You’re right…” Caroline mumbled, before walking up to kiss her boyfriend goodbye. “You sure you don’t want to come home with me?”

Tyler gave the girl a cocky smile, before planting another kiss onto her lips. “My mom would absolutely _murder_ me. Maybe next time.”

“ _Very_ poor choice of words, Tyler… anyway, good night,” Caroline said softly.

“Night, Car’,” Tyler said in return, watching on as the girl got into her car and drove away.

As the werewolf turned to open his car, he was spooked at seeing a reflection in the car window. Turning around, Tyler was met with an unfamiliar face.

“Who the hell are you,” Tyler cautiously asked, his hands tightly gripping his keys until his knuckles turned white. The man merely smiled at him, before taking a step forward.

“Nice to finally meet the Lockwood _wolf._ My name’s Klaus… Klaus _Mikaelson,”_ The hybrid said with a tight smile, “and you and I are going to be _very_ close friends, mate.”

***I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me***

Harry wasn’t thinking straight. Frankly, it had been a long while since he’d been whisked away that he’d even had a level head. The wizard liked to think he was a rational thinker; a bit impulsive… well, a lot impulsive, but still, he never went into a situation as high on emotion as he was right now. Stefan just had a _way_ with his hands while he manhandled the wizard, gracefully moving them from the edge of the open face window, and onto the uncomfortable wooden floorboards. Not that either minded, especially not Harry, who had found himself placed squarely on Stefan’s lap.

The vampire, who was practically gnawing at his lips, couldn’t keep his hands off of Harry’s ass once he was firmly set onto his waiting lap. Stefan couldn’t get enough of the way the wizard mewled between periods of making out, always allowing Stefan to glide his tongue across his sweet strawberry red lips. They were rubbing each other through quickly tightening fabric, and all Stefan wanted to do was lay the wizard down and let the months-long floodgates open up.

“Is this why you brought me here?” Harry said, his breathing ragged and his face flushed, only able to speak by turning his head away from Stefan. “To have your way with me?”

Stefan left a rather nasty nip on the side of his neck before shirking off his shirt, revealing his deliciously fit body. The vampire then used his strength to lay the wizard down quickly, hiking his legs over his arms. When he was all vulnerable under him, so hot and heavy, Stefan was finally able to clear his mind enough to speak.

“God, you talk too much,” Stefan practically growled, a heated smirk adorning his face. The vampire took his time to leave kisses all the way down the wizard’s neck. When he finally met the end of his skin and the beginning of fabric, the vampire once again lifted his head.

“Off… or I tear it off,” Stefan said, easily assisting Harry in expelling the offending clothing from his body. Now spurred by a new canvas to mark up all his own, Stefan continued his trail of kisses, as if he were trying to trace Harry’s chest with his lips.

“Stefan… we need to…”

“If you say anymore, I’m going to fuck you speechless,” Stefan said from Harry’s stomach, the words vibrating over the wizard’s glistening skin.

Harry, relenting and giving in to temptation, tried to grab at his wand, which in turn alerted Stefan.

“What are-”

“At least give… me some time to make this more comfortable… for the both of us,” Harry mumbled, before letting out a moan at Stefan continuing his ministrations, deeming Harry’s actions to be nonimportant.

As the vampire continued to worship his body, Harry tried his best to cast some nonverbal transfigurations, turning his and Stefan’s discarded tops into a much more comfortable futon. Once done, Stefan only needed a moment to look, before he hoisted Harry over, allowing for delicious friction.

Once on the futon, Harry was much more comfortable to move along with Stefan, grinding just as the vampire was. When Stefan felt he had thoroughly marked the wizard’s entire chest, he made way to loosen his belt, freeing his long-constrained erection. Harry watched the vampire fumble around, before reaching to wave his wand once more. In an instant, all of their remaining clothing had been spelled away, leaving them to the cold air of the night.

But neither were affected, as the other’s heat kept them tempered. “Stefan… I…”

“Seriously, now of all times?” Stefan harshly whispered into his ear, his fingers moving from the underside of his thighs to a much more… delicate place. 

“I don’t want you… I don’t want to be a regret,” Harry said solemnly, his brain addled with hormones and an ache, much different to the heated one he was feeling in his body.

“I won’t,” Stefan began to say as he found Harry’s sweet spot, “ever regret you,” Stefan whispered much more intimately, easing his finger inside as Harry let out a moan that would turn a priest blasphemous.

“There hasn’t been one thought in my mind lately that hasn’t been of you… being with you,” Stefan enunciated with a harsh jab to a special spot inside of Harry, “being _inside_ of you…” a finger, and then another… a delirious cacophony of brutal sensations, all emanating from his core.

“I had a life here… and it ended when I left,” Stefan said, stretching Harry out, drinking in the barely-there wizard’s wanton moans, “I couldn’t be selfish then, but now… I’m going to be a selfish _bastard_.”

Extracting his fingers from the beautifully debauched raven, Stefan realigned his posture, wrapping Harry’s legs around his waist, and guided his cock into Harry’s very willing body.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry could rarely ever pinpoint a moment during one of his many trysts where he could definitively say he felt anything more than a passing attraction to the other man. Even his repeats were moments in the wind, never to be acknowledged outside of heated looks should they meet again.

But, right now? Harry would forever have five words burned into his memory. The way they were said, the conviction they held. _‘I won’t ever regret you’._ Those words… if Harry were being honest, he was caring less and less about what the morning would bring; about what seeing Stefan with _her…_ what those feelings would bring. Because he rarely ever had people be selfish _for_ him.

“Stefan! Please… harder, I need it- I need you to be h-harder,” Harry was struggling to get out, the vampire wiping the wizard’s reasoning skills away with his strong thrusts. The pace wasn’t anything supernatural, as he had vampire lovers who had given it to him as fast as they could; rather, it was slow… languid almost. As if Stefan wanted to appreciate every single nerve ending that Harry was caressing.

Stefan, the once obliging lover, smirked before crashing his lips back onto Harry’s following a thrust of his whole length, withdrawn till only the tip, back inside the green-eyed beauty.

“Fuck- ahh!” Harry moaned out.

“I promised, didn’t I?” Stefan said, changing positions so that he was behind the wizard, leaning down so his chest rested on Harry’s back, “you kept- _fuck_ \- talking, so now… I have to- _shit_ \- fuck you till you can’t speak.”

The night went on, hours of fucking, suckling, kissing, and all kinds of debauchery occurred, the two invigorated by their attractions to each other, and by the risqué nature of being so out in the open. Thankfully for Harry, Stefan had been alive long enough to learn the ways around a body, and as such, spent that time in every conceivable position.

It took the sun rising for them to be completely sated of desire, the more magical one of the pair using his tossed aside wand to transfigure one of their pants into a blanket sometime during the night, allowing them some comfort and modesty.

Laying his head on Stefan’s muscular chest, Harry took the morning to trace circles around the love bites he had planted upon Stefan, pouting comically as he watched them fade away, one by one.

“It’s not fair that I can’t even get even with all the marks you put on me,” Harry said, groggily mumbling to the euphoric vampire.

“Not my problem,” Stefan grinned, earning a pinch to the nipple, and not the fun kind.

“Ugh… Merlin, we need to evacuate the damn premises before some sorry bell ringer gets an eyeful of my sore arse,” Harry complained, stretching his back as he sat up.

“Like hell I’d let anyone see you like this,” Stefan said, sitting up to breathe the words onto Harry’s lips, eliciting a delightful twitch in the wizard’s cock.

“Did you grow a backbone in a night? You were all sad the last I saw you,” Harry jested, standing up and waving his wand, turning the futon and blanket back into their clothing. “What changed?”

Stefan looked at the wizard. “I… followed your advice. I had… a talk with Elena and… we called it quits.”

“Oh… _oh,”_ Harry said, the gravity of what Stefan had just admitted weighing on him. “Please… please tell me it wasn’t because of me.”

Stefan contemplated for a moment, before taking a few steps over to wrap his arms around the wizard, who leaned into his touch. “Part of it… yeah, part of it was because of my feelings for you.”

Harry closed his eyes, guilt racking his brain before the vampire spoke again. “The other part of it was because… it wouldn’t work. Not with how I am now… Elena… she’s a pipe dream that I’ve been holding on to since I got back. But when I left with you and… Klaus…”

“I respect her too much to put her through this… through me,” Stefan said, whispering in the wizard’s ear.

“So now I’m the guinea pig in the ‘Stefan’s humanity’ experiment?” Harry asked, his head laying on Stefan’s shoulder.

Stefan chuckled a bit, his hands palming Harry’s thighs. “You can handle yourself, literally. If there’s anyone that can… deal with me, it’s someone like you.”

“I really attract the nutters and the damaged ones, huh?” Harry mumbled to himself, causing the vampire to laugh once more. 

“Which one am I?” Stefan said, his hands following the slight wetness between his legs, causing the raven to whimper.

“Y-you’re b-both, you f-fucking tease,” Harry gritted out, before pushing the vampire away with the strength and will power he had left. Though not much force was applied, Stefan obliged and voluntarily scooted back.

The two then began to dress up, Stefan putting back on his clothes, silently watching as Harry began his reverse strip show. When it came time to put his underwear back on, Harry began to mutter to himself.

“Merlin, how the hell am I going to deal with you, huh?” Harry mumbled to himself. Then, just as the wizard was about to cast a spell to clean up, the vampire sped over to take his wand, keeping it out of reach from the wizard, who looked thoroughly embarrassed and flustered.

“Dammit, Stefan! Give that back!” Harry whined failing to reach the wand from Stefan.

“Not until you promise me, no more self-doubt, and no more worrying over me _,_ ” Stefan teased, though his words did have some depth and seriousness to them.

“Fucking _bastard!”_ Harry grunted, trying once again to reach the wand. When it was clear the vampire would not relent, the wizard heaved a great sigh. “Fine. No more whiny-Harry.”

“H-happy now?” Harry said with a massive blush on his face. The vampire, responding to his bedmate’s promise of… positivity, grinned, before handing the wand back. But, not before roughly grabbing the wizard and holding him chest to chest.

“Ecstatic,” Stefan said, before descending down to plant a firm and hot kiss on Harry’s slightly sore lips.

***I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me***

“I can’t believe we fucked in a Bell Tower,” Harry finally said after he Apparated the pair to Stefan’s car.

“Well, at least you can’t say I’m vanilla,” Stefan teased, causing Harry to roll his eyes.

“So… what now? You’re single, we fucked, what are…” Harry said as the two got into Stefan’s car.

The vampire smiled at Harry’s attempts to soothe whatever it was he thought Stefan was feeling at the moment, deciding to give the wizard a kiss before starting the car. “Now? Now I enjoy my life; my new outlook on things.”

“Stefan… you broke up with her days ago. You have to be at least feeling _something_ about it,” Harry suggested as they drove off, the wizard not minding where the vampire would be taking him.

“Harry, if you’re trying to goad me into saying you’re my rebound, don’t _._ I _had_ feelings for her, and now I _have_ feelings for you. People change, couples break up. End of story,” Stefan said, though he failed to convince Harry of his emotional wellbeing.

Stefan breathed out a heavy sigh, before turning his head to Harry. “Last night you told me you didn’t want me to regret what we did. I _don’t._ But right now? It’s sounding like you’re the one that’s regretting.”

After taking a moment to form his thoughts into words, Harry began to sink down on the car seat. “I know what it’s like to have your heart broken… and I know what it’s like to be on the opposite side of it. If you aren’t ok, you don’t have to posture to me… I know you told me not to worry about you… but it’s not in me to just watch and sit by while people try and save themselves.”

Stefan scrunched his lips to the side, then let out a small sigh.

“I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t feel like shit, but… if I dwell on it, it’s going to eat me alive. I’m happy when I think about you… talk with you… see you. Sometimes it felt like that with… Elena. But other times, it felt like… deep down… I was obligated… obligated to care for her. Like she was this fragile piece of glass. She’s too much of her own person to have me be like that,” Stefan began to admit, earning a sincere face from Harry.

“It took me getting swept away from Mystic Falls and being with you to finally realize that. I can’t be with someone I’m too scared to hurt. And I know that… if it ever gets bad…” Stefan said, not finishing his sentence.

“I will gladly flay your arse and watch your skin grow back bit by bit before I let you act any more self-sacrificing,” Harry joked, breaking the tension, and leading to both having a small fit of laughter.

“And I will gladly keep reminding you- incessantly, without fail- if you keep feeling sorry for yourself," Stefan rebutted, smiling at the prospect of the two promising to keep each other’s mental states in check.

“I know that we’ve sort of… already gotten to see each other naked, so how’s about… if we’re really going to try for… _something,_ we get to know each other better,” Harry whispered as they continued to drive along the small town’s roads.

“I’d like that… a lot,” Stefan said, giddily smiling to his lap.

Holding out his hand to shake, Harry waited for the vampire to reciprocate, which he did. “Nice to meet you, my names Harry James Potter.”

“Stefan Salvatore. It’s nice to meet you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry's milkshake brings all the emotionally stunted, but totally willing to learn vampires to his yard! And damn right is it better than Elena's ;)
> 
> A N Y W A Y, yup! It's happening! Harry's finally got one boyfriend down! Another one to go! 
> 
> It was fun writing this, although, some behind the scenes tea if you want: the sex scene was originally MUCH hornier than what made it into the final draft lmao! I felt so good about it after I initially finished it, but god did I cringe when I read it back. My ass felt like a damn pig when I saw the words I used 💀. Apologies for the porny dialogue as well, hopefully, it read somewhat well and didn't distract!
> 
> I gave myself a quota of how many euphemisms to dick I would allow and whittled it down, so what you receive today is a much friendlier version!
> 
> That being said, hope you guys are liking this! My last semester of college is starting tomorrow, so today is a bit of a last hurrah for me in terms of free time. Don't worry, I'll be dedicated to making chapters on time, so just sit back and enjoy!


	20. Welcome To A New Age

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets are discovered as Mystic Falls moves forward in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think y'all need a bit of a cool down from the last chapter, so, today, I give you PLOT! This chapter was a lot of fun, though I will say it took me the longest to finish. Thankfully I was stockpiled on chapters during summer (unfortunately that isn't the case with this chapter going forward for now) so I could chew on it a little before tweaking it and finishing the last of it. 
> 
> The chapter went through a lot of edits, but then I realized that I fucked the timeline up a bit more since I forgot I set Bonnie's awakening on Senior Prank Night, which I believe was supposed to be in closer proximity to the start of the school year (what dramatic irony for me and some of you guys, huh?). So, just imagine that for whatever reason, the Mystic Falls senior class decided to prank the teachers a week before the school year began lol!
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter! And leave a comment if you want, just be nice!

Tyler felt like he’d been hit by a pickup truck… scratch that, _five_ pickup trucks. His body was aching far worse than the aftermath of his once-a-month turnings, and he had no clue why. All he could discern at the moment was a dark room, filled with canvases and paintings strewn across the walls. Some were leaning against the wall, while others were laid out flat on the floor.

“You’re a resilient young man, Mr. Lockwood. With all the wolfsbane circulating through your system, I was sure you’d be knocked out for an entire day. And yet, here you are, only a few hours since I started dosing you and you’re beginning to awake,” Klaus drawled, watching the teenager from the shadows of the room.

“Let me _go,_ you motherfucker. I don’t know why you kidnapped me, but when I… get free, you’ll wish that-” Tyler tried to say, before his words seemed to stumble over his tongue, the organ feeling a sudden dryness.

“I’m not much of a wishing man if I’m honest. I prefer to be practical and realistic when it comes to the things I want,” Klaus responded, giving the boy an indiscernible gleam in his eyes.

“You f- you fu…” Tyler tried to say, before, once again, his words were caught in his throat.

“There’s no point in fighting it, young man. Allow the toxins to lull you to sleep, and this will be all over. If you continue to resist, well… I’ll have to up the dosage, and _that_ certainly won’t be much fun for you,” Klaus said with a devious smile.

Tyler tried his best to glare at the man, but the toxic effects of the increased dose of wolfsbane in his blood were making it harder and harder to control any of his muscles, let alone the ones in his face. His eyes began to droop, and, after a long and valiant effort to resist, Tyler finally succumbed to the herbal werewolf toxin.

“Now…” Klaus said as he walked closer, kneeling so that he was eye level with the needle stuck in the boy’s arm. Beckoning over a compelled nurse, Klaus grinned as she began to work. Tracing the tubing up to the IV bag, the nurse drew a syringe from a bag off to the side; a welcoming gift from the local doctor he had compelled the IV set up and nurse from. Sticking the needle into Klaus’ vein, the nurse began to pull the syringe plunger, extracting blood. When he felt that there was enough, the Original motioned for her to move back. After his puncture wound had closed up, Klaus then gestured to the boy, and with an adept hand and slight nod, the nurse plunged the syringe into Tyler’s IV.

With one final look at the knocked out werewolf, Klaus let himself have one more arrogant smirk before the nurse pushed the plunger down.

“Welcome to a new age, Tyler.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Someone’s cheery,” Kol teased as Harry walked into the mansion, looking as if he was vibrating with energy. “Where were you last night, by the way? I hope you weren’t out there being a floozy.”

Harry, in a show of annoyance, sent a stinging hex directly to the vampire side, causing the Original to flinch.

“That hurt you brat!” Kol growled out, glaring at the wizard who continued towards the gallery.

“I’m not a brat, wanker!” Harry teased, only for Kol to retaliate by grabbing the hem of Harry’s sweater and yanking it down. The action revealed the numerous love marks that he had been trying to mask, causing the wizard to blush.

“You arse!” Harry said, swatting Kol on the back of the head. “I could turn you inside out!”

“Then you’ll get to see how much more endowed I am than the _dog_!” Kol laughed as his twisted sense of humor allowing the vague threat to slide.

“Fuck off!” Harry pouted reaching for the door handle, only for Kol to grab his hand to stop him.

Shaking his head, Kol eyed the wizard’s neck before looking back at him. “You are _not_ going in there looking like you’ve just been to a French orgy.”

“I look fine! Besides, I don’t want to talk to him! I’m just going to my room!” Harry replied, aiming to walk on by, only to hear a sound coming from behind the gallery door. While Harry knew that the Mikaelson brothers and he were the only two in the vicinity, Harry could hear a faint… whimpering. He hoped that it wasn’t either of the brothers’ snacks; it was hard enough living with them, but to also have to put up with their diets…

Harry shook his head, not wanting to think about some poor innocent soul being behind the door. Gripping his arm firmly, Harry closed his eyes and took one step forward.

However, before he could move along, a cough could be heard behind the pair. The two spun their heads around to watch as Klaus gracefully sauntered into the hall. While the hybrid had a smile on his face, the apparent positivity did not reach his eyes; both of which were laser-focused on Harry, or rather, his _neck._

“I seem to remember sharing an abode with calm and collected gentlemen, not annoying little schoolboys,” Klaus bit out, his voice drenched in sarcasm.

“Klaus,” Harry breathed out, watching as the blonde man strode forward. By that point, Kol and he had disconnected, the other Mikaelson stepping over to the side.

“I was worried when you didn’t come back from your… _meeting_ with Stefan last night. You weren’t answering any of my calls,” Klaus said, his hands wound behind his back, stepping closer and closer to the wizard.

Swallowing a small gulp of saliva, the green-eyed raven steeled his nerves, before taking a calming breath. “Sorry, we… uh… we lost track of time…”

“I see,” Klaus said, as he stepped passed Harry and towards the door to his gallery space. “Well, as much as I’d love for you to make it up to me right now, I am attending to some business.”

“Oh… um… I mean, I guess,” Harry blubbered out as Kol began to chuckle under his breath.

“Can you at least act like you have the brain of a centuries-old vampire, Kol?” Klaus said sarcastically.

“There’s no fun in being a fuddy-duddy, Nik, which would explain why Harry spent his day with your lapdog and not _you,”_ Kol said scathingly, squinting his eyes as Klaus gave him a cold stare. The wizard, who had since stepped to the side to accommodate the hybrid, watched the two stare each other down.

“Well, I’ll be on my way,” Klaus said, opening and closing the door to make sure Harry was not able to see inside.

“Did… what just happened?” Harry said dumbfoundedly.

“I think he’s beginning to plan the dog’s downfall if you ask me,” Kol said in amusement.

Sighing, Harry began his trek up the staircase and to his room, the vampire joining him as he walked.

“He was worried, Harry. Gave him quite the scare, which isn’t that good for older folk like him,” Kol jested, earning a small smile from Harry. “He had to leave just so he wouldn’t run all the way into town to make sure you were ok.”

“I’m sincerely touched,” Harry said in a deadpan tone. When they finally made it to his room, Harry opened the door; but, before he closed it on Kol, the wizard turned around to face him.

“Do you… do you know what Klaus is up to? There isn’t some poor sod with his neck all… you know...” Harry asked with trepidation.

“Haven’t a clue,” Kol said before stepping away. While his verbal answer had indicated one thing, his tone and knowing smirk had told a much different story. Unfortunately, Harry just wasn’t up to solving it just this instance.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“You’re going to have to kick the puppy out before dear Harry finds out you’ve got a serious sadistic streak. Although, since he was testing fate with the addict _mutt_ , perhaps he’s into that sort of thing,” Kol teased his brother, watching as the elder sibling obsessed with the werewolf strapped to the chair.

“Please shut up, Kol. Your incessant commentary has only served to make me consider biting your neck and dropping you into the town’s quarry lake; forced to live in endless pain and torment as your mind succumbs to my werewolf toxin,” Klaus threatened Kol, who brushed it off with a smirk as he sat down on an empty stool.

“Oooh, definitely a sadist,” Kol continued, though he promptly shut his mouth when he saw the way his brother’s eyes began to change to their familiar bestial form.

Sighing, Kol stared at his brother’s toying with the transitioning werewolf. “Chances are this won’t work, Nik. If the last time you did this is any indication, you’ll probably have a gang of teenagers and our dear brother at the door after they find the poor sap’s body.”

“I need to test another theory, Kol. The last time, I had used Harry’s blood, which we now know isn’t the best when it comes to anything bound with Spirit magic. If Tyler here transitions completely after I feed him someone else’s blood, then I know the problem lies away from me,” Klaus explained to a skeptical Kol.

“And yet I highly doubt there’ll be any sort of distance between you and the _problem,”_ Kol said, using scare quotes around the word ‘problem’.

“The priority is for confirmation on whether I can truly sire hybrids or not,” Klaus said with finality, though Kol could hear something within his voice that spoke to the opposite.

Letting out a humorless chuckle, Kol stood up and made his way to the door, his back turned to his brother. “You and I both know you’re one doe-eyed plea from moving a mountain for him.”

“We shall see,” Klaus simply said as his brother evacuate the room, leaving Klaus and Tyler as the only two within the shade of the insulated gallery.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Caroline was one step away from cursing the day she’d decided each and every single one of her contacts needed to have their own unique ringtone. Chalk it up to her incessant need to live out her childhood Barbie dream, but right now, the blonde was most definitely _not_ feeling the fantasy. Her phone had been ringing all morning, and she had no clue why.

She and her friends were only a few days away from beginning their senior year, and she had no time to dally. She was coordinating three separate welcoming efforts for the students, and well as knee-deep in planning for the homecoming dance. She needed every waking hour to focus on normalizing her group’s lives after the hectic and terrifying last few months have been.

It was bad enough that she heard Klaus was back in town, but to have the evil fucker bring along a brother?! It was all just too much and too _abnormal._ And, to top it off, the girl had to deal with keeping her burgeoning relationship with Tyler a secret from said werewolf’s mother, a staunch anti-vampire council member that would gladly stake her if she found her with Tyler.

“ _There’s a she-wolf in the closet, let it out so it can-”_

“Shut up!” Caroline screamed at her phone, the same song as the last five times, in the last _hour._ The blonde had set the ring tone for Tyler’s mom, Mayor Lockwood, as a bit of dramatic irony. Though according to Tyler, his mother hadn’t a supernatural bone in her body, she felt it was fitting to demark the woman who had side-eyed her ever since she began to hang out with her son.

After letting out a frustrated shriek into her bedroom pillow, the vampire picked up the phone, and answered it, bringing it up to her ear. “Hi, Mrs. Lockwood! Good morning! How are you?”

“Hello, Caroline,” Carol Lockwood started, her voice slightly strained, as if the woman were filled with tension, “I’m so sorry to call out of the blue, and call so early, but… I needed to know… is Tyler with you? I haven’t seen him since last night.”

Caroline scrunched her brow in confusion, before replying back. “Umm… no, we were, umm… we were with friends last night, and when we were all done, we all left separately. I left before him, so I assumed he just went back home.”

On the other side of the line, Carol took a deep breath, her stature weakening more as the conversation went on. “Was there… uhh… any drinking going on? I won’t… I promise not to get you guys in trouble, it’s just that… if Tyler was drunk, he may have decided to stay in his car? Or… God forbid…”

“No! No, no, no!” Caroline repeated in defense. “We weren’t drinking at all. In fact, I don’t know if he told you this, but we were actually out last night visiting Bonnie’s house. Her dad had her moved back into her house, so we all came there to see if she was any better. We didn’t even stay that long, to be honest…”

“Oh God… umm… thank you for picking up, Caroline. I might end up calling your mom if Tyler doesn’t show up soon. You sure you don’t know where he could be?” Carol asked desperately.

“No, I’m… so sorry. I’ll try my best to call him, see if he picks up,” Caroline offered.

“Thank you, Caroline. So much…” Carol said, ending the call in a state of being overwhelmed, a mindset not unlike the one Caroline was having right now.

The blonde tried to think of every single place that Tyler could be. The full moon was next week, so the Lockwood cellar was out of the question. Had the boy stayed over with Bonnie and her dad, not that he’d even need to, he would have said something last night. Looking back at her phone, she realized that Tyler had also not responded to her texts last night, indicating that she had made it home safely.

In a few short moments, she began to feel the same desperation that she could hear in Mayor Lockwood’s voice. And in her sudden spiral into uncertainty, an idea came to mind; one which she immediately pushed away. She could ask _Bonnie,_ who would most definitely be able to do some witchy locator spell. But, obviously, she had just recovered from her coma and was probably in no condition to do _anything,_ let alone do magic.

So, she was left at square one- scratch that- square _zero._ On top of her responsibilities to the school, she was now also aware of the fact that her boyfriend was potentially missing.

“This fucking _sucks!_ ”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“You suck at this whole consoling thing, Damon,” Elena said in a tired manner, eyeing the older Salvatore brother. The two were in her bedroom, despite the opposition from Jenna and John, and were currently lamenting over the past few days.

Damon, in all his _Damon-_ ness, had decided to stop by the doppelgangers house, with the suggestion of a day away from her relationship drama acting as Elena’s only incentive to not completely ignore the Salvatore. With him, the vampire had brought some concealed- well, not really, but considering who occupied the Gilbert home, he gave a damn good effort- alcohol with him, to, in his words, ‘drown your sorrows in the most appropriate way’. Since she was having enough trouble worrying about her friend and having to deal with a broken heart, a small, albeit annoyingly thoughtful, distraction was just what she needed.

“Forgive me, _princess_. I am but a humble servant, sharing the ways in which we common folk get over shitty cards dealt to us,” Damon said sarcastically, earning a sincere chuckle from the, as of late, melancholy girl.

“I am _not_ a princess, Damon! If I were, my life would be a whole lot happier,” Elena said, taking an offered glass of bourbon.

“You see the way people act around you?” Damon said, both to Elena and in response to Jenna yelling from the kitchen to not drink, “you have like, three parental figures downstairs, a controlling best friend who would do anything for you, a best friend in the form of a former coma patient who would _also_ do anything for you, and…”

“What? You? My vampire knight in shining armor?” Elena said with an unsure look, one of her eyebrows raised.

“I was going to say your recently separated, but still a good influence, of an ex-boyfriend who would _also_ do anything for you… well, except, you know…” Damon said, his eyes shifting up in thought, though Elena knew it to be false.

“Uhh… god, can we please not talk about it? I’m already on Salvatore overload with you here, I don’t need to be… reminded… at least, not yet…” Elena said, taking a swig from her glass despite her aunt’s warnings.

“My bad,” Damon said, leaning back with his hands in the air, “I know it’s still a fresh wound, but… if you need anything, you know I’m here for you, right?”

Elena gave the older vampire an honest look, her head tilted slightly as if she’d somehow view Damon differently. “Thanks, Damon…”

“So, on to less-depressing matters,” Damon said, changing the atmosphere back to a slightly more positive one, “good ole’ Elijah gave me a call earlier. He found the place Klaus is holding himself up with that freakish brother of his. Which, by the way, is just our luck that the bastard’s mom decided to procreate even more.”

“One, that’s not any less depressing,” Elena said, getting up from her bed to peruse her closet for her outfit of the day. “Two, how can we trust that he won’t just team up with his brother. If they’re anything like you and… Stefan… then they’ll make up after punching each other.”

“Well, first, it’s all about perspective,” Damon responded, standing up behind Elena to watch as her hands sifted through the many clothing options. “Second, the red would look _spectacular_ on you. Third, Elijah’s the biggest white knight on the planet. No way he just joins up with the evil jackass that lives at the end of the street!”

“Besides, weren’t you the one that wanted to give him the _first_ second chance, after he had you kidnapped!” Damon said in an exasperated tone.

“You weren’t there last night, Damon! After his witch apparently tried to kill Bonnie, he just up and left! After he promised he would help her! Why should I trust anything that he says or does after that?!” Elena said in frustration, grabbing the red shirt and a pair of jeans from her closet. Turning around and walking past Damon, the doppelganger set her clothes out on her bed, before turning the vampire expectantly.

“What?!” Damon asked before Elena pointed to the door.

“Get out or stab your eyes out! I need to get ready!” Elena gritted out, the vampire looking at her in confusion, then in with a playful smirk.

“You do realize your single now, right?” Damon said, giving her a look. The girl stood her ground, pointing at the door. The vampire only waited for a second before relenting, walking out the door and grinning as it closed behind him.

“Listen, the point stands; Elijah, as shady as that fucker is, can be useful in our possibly growing and evolving Klaus situation. It’s bad enough the douche is in town, let alone all up in Stef-”

Damon almost continued, but his mouth firmly shut at remembering his conversations with his recently reunited-with brother. Elena, changing on the other side of the door, but still somewhat invested in the conversation, narrowed her eyes.

“What do you mean? You were about to say ‘Stefan’, weren’t you? What happened, did he tell you something?” Elena said rather frantically. Though their relationship had ended abruptly nights ago, she still held concern over him, despite her unwillingness to parse out her emotions after the fallout of their breakup.

“It’s… it’s fine, Elena. Everything is fine!” Damon tried to reassure the girl, who in her quest for information, opened the door, new outfit on, and ready for the day ahead.

“Damon, seriously, if he’s in trouble, or being brainwashed, or-”

“Elena, relax… Stefan just mentioned some trouble he had with Mr. Kills-a-lot Mikaelson. Nothing that his dear old brother can’t help him through!” Damon said.

“Damon, that’s not answering me!” Elena further pestered.

“Elena,” Damon said, planting his hands on her shoulders, “I think you’ve probably tumbled down Stefan’s list of people he wants to talk to about his issues right now. So, let me handle it, and you just worry about Bon-Bon’s recovery!”

Elena grumbled, but relented, as she followed him down the steps and passed a slightly glaring Jenna, whose eyes followed the opened bottle in Damon’s hand. Nodding her head in apology, Elena continued to walk towards the door.

“Love you! Be back later!” Elena announced as she trailed the vampire.

As the two stepped into Damon’s vintage car, Elena strapped her seatbelt and hummed along to the radio as they drove through the suburb.

Turning his head to take a glance at Elena, Damon found himself smirking. “You haven’t even asked me where we’re going.”

Elena brushed her hands through her hair, before also turning her head to face the older Salvatore. “I assumed we were going over to your place… unless we’re on our way to do something… very stupid.”

“Mm… well, that’s one way to put it,” Damon said as he turned onto an unfamiliar road, “surprise, we aren’t going to _Casa de Salvatore,_ but we are going somewhere just as exciting!”

“God… Damon, where are you taking me?” Elena asked.

“Well… I may have done some snooping around… actually, Ric did some snooping, I just happened to be in the room and stole his research,” Damon said nonchalantly, earning a jab to the arm from Elena, “and guess what I found.”

After bending one arm behind him to reach towards the folder on the backseat, Damon handed the folder to Elena, who then took a look at its contents. “What… what does this have to do with anything? It’s just storage documents?”

“See, that’s just the thing. These would be normal, but…” Damon said, extending the ‘but’, “the storage spaces were purchased right around the time that Klaus showed back up. And these documents? They’re for purchases that technically never happened!”

Elena scrunched her brow until the realization hit her. “They were compelled to open the spaces up!”

“Bingo. No paper trail, and yet there were two spaces that are now occupied,” Damon explained, “which means-”

“Klaus is hiding something.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Fuck… what’s going on…” Tyler groaned as he was once again awakening to the soreness of several hit and runs. He could recognize the feeling of the IV needle in his arm, so he used what little strength he had to remove it. After freeing himself of whatever he was being injected with, Tyler tried to stand up but was thrown off balance by his leg hitting something. Before he could attempt to get back up, Tyler noticed that his hand had suddenly become bathed in red. Thrashing around, Tyler was jolted into reality as he realized that not only was his hand covered in crimson, but so too were his clothes; and, upon further examination, his own mouth.

“Holy fuck…” Tyler said in terror as his vision fully cleared, and he was met with the bleeding corpse of a nurse.

“Incredible…” Tyler could hear from beyond the shadows of the room he was in. “Simply marvelous.”

“What… what’s going on? Why is… why am I covered in blood?!” Tyler practically yelled out, only for the figure to speed into the light to silence him.

“Careful, Tyler. You’ll alert my dear roommate of our activities,” Klaus slyly said as he forced Tyler back down into the seat. “Now, if you could relax and not struggle, we can make this much easier.”

As if on cue to his command, Tyler sat back down and waited for Klaus to make his next move. “Good. Good… well, I feel like I should just rip the Band-Aid off as they say, and tell you…”

“Why am I… covered in blood…?” Tyler asked quietly, his muscles losing the tension they once had.

“Simple really… you fed. And, rather voraciously, I might add.” Klaus answered with a devious smirk.

“Fed? On blood… but...that would mean…” Tyler mumbled to himself.

“It would mean something much more than what you may know… for you see, Tyler, I’m going to let you in on a very special secret…” Klaus whispered into his ear.

“You are my first hybrid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNNNNNN
> 
> Wonder how everyone's gonna feel when Tyler shows up all Hybrid-ed?! Surely that won't lead to anything bad. XD
> 
> Also, on a more serious note, with the chapter after the next being when the school year will start for our gang, I just wanted to say that I hope everyone stays safe as school starts up for some of you. It's been a shit-show for me and my college, so hopefully, you guys are better off. And if not, I hope that this fic can give some reprieve from the stress!
> 
> Anyway, back to less serious matters, as you saw with certain events in this chapter, things are starting to deviate a lot, and they will continue to do so! So I hope you guys like where I'm leading you lol!
> 
> As always, enjoy your day, and I hope you look forward to the next chapter!


	21. I Think That Deserves A Bit Of Payback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are hatched, as others are foiled. And elsewhere, a date is set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sincerest apologies for being suuuupppper late with this update. I hade a test and paper due this week, so that's where my mind was at. Hopefully, I'll be able to get you chapter 22 on time; though, for my sake, I'd say maybe expect the updates to happen every 11-12 days instead of 9-11. That gives me breathing room for school and this story!
> 
> Anyway, nothing much else to say other than enjoy! Apologies for some cheesy dialogue though, I was in a quippy mood LOL!
> 
> As always, leave a comment if you want, just be nice!

“How much longer is it till we get to the storage place?” Elena asked as she watched the trees pass by with a bored expression. The vampire next to her gave her a pity-chuckle before using his hand to point over to the right side of the road, which showed the rather plain-looking building with a big sign that read ‘Phillip’s Storage Units’ in big red letters. Damon drove them along the road until they reached the parking lot, where he had chosen a spot rather close to the entrance. As the car was stopped and the keys were taken out, the pair got out and stretched their bodies.

“A little close to the cameras, don’t you think?” Elena asked in a slight whisper, gesturing to the apparent security camera pointed in their general direction. Damon shrugged and moved forward, ignoring the frustrated puff of air Elena had let out.

“Hey, listen, I’m the one that can vamp-speed my ass out of here. Just in case we gotta bolt out, I figured you’d want a short run,” Damon explained in his trademarked smartass fashion. “Besides, worse comes to worst, I’ll come back later and delete the footage. No you and me visiting, no killer Hybrid on our asses!”

Elena quirked an eyebrow at him despite his ignoring of her before she quickly followed him into the building. Taking residence on a waiting chair with a dubious last-cleaned date, the brunette tried to make herself comfortable as Damon worked his annoyingly successful charm.

“Hey there, miss…” Damon began to say, before dipping his eyes just a hair lower to see the nametag the receptionist was wearing, “Donna. Lovely name, by the way. I was wondering, would we be able to view a storage unit a friend got about a week or two ago? He’s busy and asked us to get something from it!”

Donna, as the pair now knew, seemed to go through a wealth of emotions, if her face was any indication. What started out as partial annoyance morphed into an uncomfortably flirtatious expression, as the woman had misconstrued Damon’s peek at her nametag as a come-on.

“Well, sweetie…” Donna the receptionist said with her chest puffed forward, earning a very strained smile from Damon and a concealed cackle from Elena. “Why don’t you give me the name of the owner and maybe we can work something out?”

“Uhm…” Damon started as he felt the need to start squirming under the gaze of the older woman. After gulping rather loudly, Damon gave her a thousand-watt smile before responding.

“Klaus. Klaus Mikaelson. Kind of tall, accent, fairly… attractive,” Damon begrudgingly admitted to cackles from Elena in the back. Donna shot a rather annoyed look at Elena, before turning back to Damon with a calmer expression.

Filing through her computer screen, and then through a stack of folders, Donna reappeared to the pair with a rather disappointed look on her face. “I’m so sorry, but we don’t have anyone on file with that name!”

Damon gave the woman one last smile before vamp-speeding behind the counter and holding her by her neck. Elena’s eyes bugged out as she shot up from her seat, running towards the vampire. “Damon! What the hell are you doing?!”

“Zip it! Shut up, Elena! Lemme work my magic so we can get out of this place quicker!” Damon commanded. The doppelganger grumbled before showing her frustration with a flailing of her hands. Shaking her head as she went towards the door to close the blinds, Elena looked on, making sure it was known that she wouldn’t tolerate any lost life today.

“Now then,” Damon said as he turned back to Donna, who had been trying to let out a scream, though the hand on her throat had prevented that, “you’re going to tell me about whatever the hell Klaus Mikaelson hid here!”

The woman seemed to zone out, before she repeatedly began to tap on Damon’s hands, signaling his grip was too tight. Damon let out a sigh off to the side before tossing her towards the counter, ignoring the admonishment from Elena. While waiting for her to catch her breath, he was ignorant of her reaching for something under her desk. Before either Elena or Damon knew, the woman had reached for her water bottle, which she quickly opened and sprayed all over Damon. As the liquid landed on Damon, the exposed skin that met the water began to burn, and the vampire himself let out a scream of pain as his flesh began to sizzle.

“Shit! Fuck! Vervain water!” Damon called out as he recoiled back, his body slamming onto the wall behind him as he crumpled to the ground. The woman took his weakened state as a sign to evacuate, but she had forgotten the other occupant in the room, as Elena blocked her path before ending her escape with a rather flinch-inducing hit to the head with a stapler from the counter. The woman fell almost immediately, the trauma from the hit enough to knock her out.

As she fell, Elena dropped the stapler and stepped back, her face clearly in shock. Damon opened the one eye that wasn’t doused in vervain to see her act of retaliation and her subsequent freak-out. “It’s fine! You just knocked her out! She’s still breathing!”

Elena took a moment to register what her companion had said before taking slow breaths. Realizing that there was probably trouble coming their way soon, Elena ran to Damon to help him up. As his skin was slowly regenerating, Damon made one last move to grab a stack of folders before leaving the lobby area. Seeing that Damon was in no shape to drive, she used what little force she could muster to push him into the passenger’s seat before hopping into the driver’s seat. Using the keys from the overhead to start the vintage car, Elena slammed her foot down, speeding the car back and away from the compound.

“What the hell was that?!” Elena finally asked, her panic slowly receding as they got farther and farther away from the storage facility.

“Klaus probably compelled the lady to attack whoever tried to pry into his business there… Dammit!” Damon said in irritation, slamming his fist on the dashboard, his skin finally losing its sore-like redness and returning to normal. “I should’ve figured he’d do something like that. Shit!”

“Hey! It’s fine! At least we know that you and Ric were looking in the right place!” Elena tried to comfort the vampire, not wanting him to be too hard on himself.

Damon refused to respond, clasping his temples between his index finger and thumb. Heavy in thought, Damon silently sat as Elena drove them back towards Mystic Falls. After some time, Damon finally relented in his wallowing and looked over towards Elena. “That was quick thinking, bashing her over the head and knocking her out. All things considered, you did well today.”

“You still got hurt…” Elena mumbled; her head locked looking forward. Damon gave the girl a small smirk before turning his head to face away.

“I’ll be fine. I heal, you don’t. Better it be me getting my ass whooped, or burned in this case, then you getting hurt…” Damon said to her, causing the girl to smile just a tiny bit.

“So… now what?” Elena then asked.

“Well…” Damon said as he stretched his body in the seat, smirking as he caught Elena sneaking a look, “I had planned for that to go on for much longer, so we have some time to kill now. So, how’s about…”

“What?” Elena asked.

“Let’s do some back to school shopping for you. Senior year’s the big one!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Come on! It won’t be that bad. Just pop on over and we can break in the new sheets my brother got me!” Stefan half-joked, half-flirted through the phone, smiling as he heard the soft tones of Harry’s laugh.

“Merlin, you don’t waste time, do you? It’s been like a day and you’re already inviting me to ruin your sheets,” Harry responded, his body laid flat on the top of his bed. “What happened to getting to know each other?”

“Well, how about you answer one question, and I take one piece of clothing off of you? And vice versa?” Stefan said in jest, though Harry could tell by the slight rasp in his voice he wasn’t lying about his want to see Harry in a more disheveled state.

“How about we actually go on a date without trying to tear each other’s clothes off,” Harry said, quickly interjecting before Stefan could interrupt. “That way, we get to understand each other more, and I don’t have to keep thinking all I’m shacking up with is the world’s hottest living corpse!”

“World’s hottest, eh? I’m flattered!” Stefan cockily remarked, chuckling as if he could see the eye roll Harry was giving.

“Inflated ego isn’t a good look for you, Stefan. Save that for the Mikaelson brothers,” Harry joked, before hearing a knock at the door. “Speaking of, here comes one of them… probably.”

“Always cock-blocking…” Stefan mumbled, biting his cheek as he heard Harry murmur his admonishment.

“Pick me up at eight tonight and try not to fight _him_ when you get here,” Harry said.

“Tell that to Klaus… anyway, see you then. Bye,” Stefan said, hanging the phone up when Harry reciprocated.

Harry placed his phone on the bedside table as he sat up, slipping his shoes on to answer the knock at his door. Bracing himself, he slowly opened the door, exposing the blonde Mikaelson behind it. “Klaus…”

“You don’t look too taken to seeing me, Harry. Was I interrupting something?” Klaus asked in his all-too-familiar charismatic snark. Waiting for a response from Harry, Klaus leaned against the door frame, his dark blue eyes meeting Harry’s emerald green.

Harry frowned at the hybrid, letting out a sigh as he stepped forward into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Thankfully, Klaus had backed away, although he still remained close enough to where his supernatural body heat was wafting towards Harry’s more chilled temperature. Crossing his arms, Klaus gave Harry a dazzling smirk, which Harry took in with trepidation.

“Do I want to know why you look like you’ve eaten an entire scout troop of children?” Harry said cautiously, noting the genuine glee in Klaus’ aura. While he’d suspected the source was nefarious, Harry wanted to make sure his conscience was clear before he’d brush him off.

Klaus responded with another earnest smile, before taking one step forward to grab Harry by his forearms. The wizard tensed up, even more so when Klaus had done the unthinkable and hugged him. Harry’s arms remained at his side as the hybrid squeezed him lightly, the wizard turning his face to the side to avoid the rather… pleasant hot breath tickling his neck.

“Uhh, Klaus? Please tell me you actually didn’t murder someone… or some people. You’re… freaking me out a bit,” Harry said nervously, trying to back away from the hybrid. When sensing Harry’s off-put energy, Klaus reared back gently, his hands remaining at Harry’s arms.

After a full, and frankly uncomfortable, thirty seconds of Klaus just smiling at Harry, the hybrid leaned his face towards Harry’s, causing the wizard to blush. Shifting his head to the side so his mouth was close to Harry’s ear, Klaus began to whisper.

“I have what I’ve been looking for, after so long… it’s finally time…” Klaus whispered sweetly, before leaning back, soaking in the confused look on Harry’s face. “Enjoy your date, _love._ ”

Harry stood still before blinking, giving Klaus enough time to make an escape, leaving behind a breeze. “What… the bloody hell was that…”

The wizard tried to recollect himself, before taking careful steps toward the stairs and the main foyer, where he saw two men carrying garbage bags out of Klaus’ gallery space. Watching from the middle of the steps was Kol, who turned his head slightly back to wink at Harry, who turned slightly pink. Descending the staircase, Harry leveled himself with Kol, who gave Harry a look, up and down.

“Do I want to know what’s in those bags? Cause I’m going to assume from Klaus’ spout of insanity that something bad happened to someone,” Harry said to the taller vampire, who offered him a smirk and response in return.

“It’d probably offend your delicate sensibilities if I told you what was in those bags. And with regards to my brother… well, if there was ever a night to go out and enjoy elsewhere, it’s this night. Though, I’m sure he’d rather you stay here with him and pop a few bottles of champagne,” Kol offered, his hand gently laid on Harry’s shoulder.

Harry took a deep breath with his eyes closed, before turning his head to directly face Kol. “I wouldn’t be offended by death if that’s what you’re thinking. I’ve lived through much worse than vampire carnage. I just… I’d rather not live under a roof where I’m kept in the dark.”

Kol raised an eyebrow, surprised by Harry’s statement to him. The immortal would’ve chalked up the wizard’s brave face to him getting used to Klaus and Stefan’s rampages, though his words would indicate that his steely exterior was born from strife before he got involved in his brother’s plans. Still, to Kol, that wouldn’t explain Harry’s grief over killing Gloria. The raven was just a cluster of mystery and intrigue to him, and he would be damned if he gave up someone so interesting.

“You utterly confound me, Harry,” Kol admitted out of the blue to Harry, who gave him a small chuckle.

“You aren’t the first to say that, and you probably won’t be the last, Kol…” Harry said, turning his head back to the bottom of the staircase, as the mysterious men had apparently finished their task, as the entrance door had shut and they were no longer there. “Looks like they’re finished.”

“Yes, it looks that way…” Kol absently replied, his mind slightly distracted by the hum of Klaus’ phone in his back pocket. “Be careful tonight, Harry. I’d stay over at the dog’s house if I were you.”

Before Harry could ask, Kol had vanished as well, leaving Harry alone in the mansion. “Bloody disappearing brothers…”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

_“It’s finally time…”_

Klaus sped through the damp soil of the forest backing his mansion, feeling the breeze, and smelling petrichor laced air. Klaus had never experienced euphoria like this, not since the first flames of his freedom had sparked upon laying his eyes on Katherine for the first time. The hybrid, for the first time in his life, wasn’t alone. Not his family, not his many lovers, no one… no one could satisfy the ache in his chest for the companionship of someone who was just like him. Not just immortal, not just a beast… but someone who walked the line with as much ease as breathing.

“Come out, Tyler! I’m sure feeling the chains of the moon fall is enough to overload your senses. Wouldn’t want you to do anything too rash at the moment!” Klaus called out into the forest, the descending grayness of rain overtaking the lush greenery that once was.

Klaus waited a moment before he could hear the footsteps of his young protege coming towards him. And like the obedient child that Klaus knew he would be, Tyler sheepishly emerged from the forest, his feet bare and covered in dirt. Quirking an eyebrow up at teen, Klaus proceeded to march forward, taking the boy’s shoulders in his grasp.

“Tell me, how did it feel?” Klaus asked in a whisper, his excitement bubbling under his breath. Tyler, in response, grinned wholeheartedly, as he began to explain what he was feeling at the moment.

“I’ve… _never_ felt like this before. Even after I triggered my curse and had all that pent up strength, it just… doesn’t compare to this feeling. I don’t feel angry anymore, I don’t feel chained up, and I don’t feel like something inside of me is trying to claw its way out…” Tyler said in wonder, matching Klaus’ grin with his own.

“This is only the beginning, Tyler. Soon enough, there won’t be a single wolf forced to live under the thrall of the moon any longer!” Klaus boasted to Tyler, who took every word in with rapt attention. Klaus tilted his head, before flashing his hybrid eyes to Tyler, who in turn reciprocated.

“Quite the claim, brother,” Kol said sarcastically behind them, Tyler instantly getting ready to pounce on the intruder. Klaus, on the other hand, had merely glared at his younger sibling, before placing a calming hand on Tyler’s shoulder.

“Heel, Tyler. As much as I’d get a kick out of you maiming my brother, today is too momentous an occasion to sully it with petty fights,” Klaus said with eloquence, bringing Tyler’s aggression down into a simmering annoyance. Kol raised an eyebrow as he chuckled lowly.

“If you’re done preening with the new puppy, I’d like to have a word with you. Alone,” Kol said, punctuating the Original brother’s need for privacy among family. Tyler turned his head to Klaus as if waiting for a command on what to do.

Klaus replied with a smile, before whispering into Tyler’s ear. “I’ve kept you from your mother and friends for far too long. I worry she’ll start acting rash if you don’t get home soon. How’s about you return to her and assuage her fears, but make sure not to tell anyone about your… new status. Wouldn’t want to trouble the wrong people, now would we?”

“No… we wouldn’t want to, huh?” Tyler said as he slowly nodded his head, using his newly acquired speed to bolt away from the forest and towards his own mansion. Once the brothers knew that he was out of earshot, the two convened closer.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Congratulations, brother. I’d say I believed in you, but we both know I’d be lying through my teeth,” Kol said with a smile that did not match his eyes, “And, well, I guess you’ve got yourself a new puppy to take care of… although, seeing as how young he is, perhaps it isn’t Stefan that needs to worry he’s been kicked to the curve. What would poor Marc-”

Before he could finish, Klaus jabbed his hand out to choke Kol, crushing his windpipe. In reaction, Kol kicked out and sent Klaus stumbling back. Rubbing his throat and coughing, Kol glared at his older brother. Before the older could retaliate again, Kol held out Klaus’ phone. Klaus eyed the glowing screen, before grabbing the device from Kol’s hands, missing the glare his brother gave him.

Reading the messages that adorned the screen, Klaus’ brow began to bend downward. His eyes shifted across the screen as the messages continued on, along with a video popping up at the end of them. Straightening his body, Klaus rotated the phone and clicked on the video, playing it with Kol watching from his side.

_“Why don’t you give me the name of the owner and maybe we can work something out?”_

_“Klaus. Klaus Mikaelson. Kind of tall, accent, fairly… attractive.”_

_“It’s fine! You just knocked her out! She’s still breathing!”_

“Looks like that vampire and his doppelganger are smarter than I initially thought. Good to know there’s at least one brain cell between the two of them,” Kol said to no one in particular.

Klaus merely watched in silence as the pair ran out and away from the view of the security camera. When the video finished, Klaus turned the screen off and pocketed the phone, before walking back towards the mansion, with Kol steps behind.

“I’m guessing that’s where our dear brother and sister are sleeping?” Kol said nonchalantly.

“I thought you’d be much angrier about that. At least our dear older brother Elijah was when he found out I was keeping them,” Klaus said while still facing forward.

“Mm… one thing I’ve learned being related to you is that it’s every Mikaelson for themselves,” Kol said with a smirk to Klaus, who had actually turned to look at his brother. Stopping in his tracks, Klaus waited a moment in contemplation, before pivoting towards the driveway.

“Where the hell are you going?” Kol asked as they walked in tandem.

“To grab a car so I can go into town to get a… housewarming gift. It seems that our neighbors are a bit too nosy for their own sakes,” Klaus said deviously, eliciting a smirk from Kol who joined him in pace.

“Well, if its mischief you want to cause, I’ll gladly partake. The dog’s idiot brother decided to get a bit handsy when introducing himself, and I think that deserves a bit of payback!” Kol said with a slightly delirious tone in his voice, his chaos making tendencies coming to the surface. “Although, I do believe that our dear Harry is going to meet the dog at his house. Wouldn’t want him to get caught up in our… present.”

“Well, then I guess that means we’ll have to deliver it ourselves, to make sure dear Damon and Elena… receive it correctly. In fact… that’s given me a rather nice idea!” Klaus said as they reached the car, each brother taking a door to open and enter into.

“And what might that be?” Kol said as the engine of the car revved up.

“Why not crash Harry and Stefan’s little date? I’m sure that they won’t mind if we visit to say hello to Damon!” Klaus said with a maniacal grin, matched by Kol’s own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kol just can't help but be rude to Stefan, huh? Maybe he thinks Klaus tried to replace him with Stefan in the 20s? Maybe he's jealous of how easy it was for Stefan to get into Harry's pants? Who knows? Well, I do... hehe... read and find out!
> 
> And Klaus, GASP! Kol's trolling ways are starting to rub off on the elder Mikaelson!
> 
> Anywho, this chapter was supposed to have the date and the house thing, but as I said in the beginning, I had school stuff on my mind, so I just cut out what I had written and then made it the beginning parts of chapter 22. Also, I know I promised school starting in chapter 22, but that's not going to happen lmao, so it'll most likely be 23 when senior year stuff starts.
> 
> Anyway, have a good and safe weekend! And thanks for reading!


	22. We Sure Know How To Pick’em

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dates are wonderful places for chaos to occur, especially with jealous parties abound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey, hey! Hope you're all doing well. This chapter's a fun one; there's romance, intrigue, conflict, and more! All you could ever hope for!
> 
> Fair warning, there's some gore in this chapter, nothing too bad, just par for the course of TVD! I've marked the section just in case.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to comment, but be respectful :3

Stefan looked at himself in the mirror, eyeing the outfit he had chosen for his evening with Harry. A giddiness filled his whole being, something that he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Nervousness? Sure, he experienced that in spades when it came to Elena. But never the childlike excitement he’d felt growing up. Once he felt he was adequately dressed for the occasion, the vampire walked toward the flowers that he had ordered in the morning, thankfully expedited after a… _compelling_ trip to the flower shop.

He had been waiting all day, and now that it was time for him to pick Harry up, he wanted to make sure he was ready; not only visually, but he also wanted to make sure there weren’t any extraneous factors that could impact their date. His brother had apparently gone out with Elena, which stumped him, but he wasn’t going to say anything, and Harry had texted him earlier that the Mikaelson brothers were out somewhere and certainly not at the mansion. Which meant in a few minutes, he’d be all alone with Harry.

With flowers in hand, the vampire drove towards the growingly familiar estate, before parking his car in the front of the entrance. Taking his flowers out, the Salvatore walked toward and knocked on the door. After a moment of silence, Stefan knocked once more, before a bevy of footsteps could be heard upstairs, along with a few muttered ‘fucks’ and ‘shits’.

Peeking through the glass detailing of the door, Stefan spotted the green-eyed wizard rushing down the steps, landing with some grace at the last step, before making himself presentable. From then on, the steps were much less frantic, though, with his vampire hearing, Stefan could make out the soft patters of Harry’s breathing.

In a flash of a second, the vampire was greeted by a slightly more put together Harry, dressed in a fine silk suit, topped off with a red and yellow tie around his neck. Stefan gave the wizard a wide smile, giving him the once over before Harry coughed.

“I’m sorry for making you wait… err… I kind of had a hard time choosing a… tie to wear…” Harry muttered quietly, but in Stefan’s mind, rather cutely. “Stupid reason, I know. But… haven’t done the whole serious date thing in a while.”

Stefan quirked an eyebrow at the incredulous behavior, before giving a snarky remark befitting of the wizard. “Where’d all that bravado from before go? You were the one who wanted a date with the, and I quote, ‘hottest living corpse’. Don’t tell me that was all pretending?”

Harry puffed his cheeks out before grabbing the flowers out of Stefan’s hand. “Just give me the flowers and let’s get a move on!”

Stefan stared a moment, then proceeded to laugh, Harry joining him seconds later. Smiling after a bit of teasing, the wizard gave a starry look at the older vampire, before kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you for the flowers, Mr. Living Corpse. I appreciate it…”

Looking down at the bundle a second time, as the two walked towards Stefan’s Porsche, Harry’s eyes softened, as he realized Stefan had gotten him lilies. The vampire, who snuck another peek at Harry, watched as the green-eyed raven’s face became much gentler. 

“I figured… well, the florist figured, that lilies were the best for the occasion. I hope they’re ok…” Stefan said, his thumb rubbing the line of his spine at the small of his back. Harry gave a humorless chuckle and then a small smile.

“They’re great… it’s just… they remind me a lot of my mom…” Harry said wistfully, staring at the bouquet of white lilies.

“Oh, I’m- I didn’t mean to bring up any-” Before Stefan could finish his sentence, Harry planted a small peck on the lips, before opening the passenger’s door and getting in. Once Stefan had entered his side, he gave Harry a careful look. Not even an hour into their night out and he had potentially screwed up.

Harry, once inside the car, set the flowers on the floor of the car and watched as Stefan nervously started the car. “I like them, so don’t get all choked up, Stefan. Just brought back some memories is all.”

Stefan took the reassuring smile from Harry with a small one of his own, before he drove them away from the mansion and towards the town. Navigating the streets as if he had traversed them for decades, which he had, Stefan eventually drove passed the bustling parts of the town. After more time, he drove them to a more secluded road, lit by light posts every few paces.

Eventually, the car had been driven towards the moonlit Salvatore house. Halting the car to a stop in the driveway, Stefan killed the engine and stared at the, thankfully, empty road to the house. Both parties exited the Porsche and began walking towards the entrance, bouquet loosely in Harry’s grip.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Wait, wait, wait- so, the hat sings to you after it puts you into your dorm room-” Stefan said between bites of his attempt at Italian cuisine, making sure not to obnoxiously spit out food as he laughed at Harry’s recounting of his school days.

“No, no-” Harry began to say, trying to hold in a laugh, “the hat sings before the dorm placements, always right before all the new kids get sorted. A different song every year, and when our headmaster felt particularly showy, he’d make us sing along!”

“I just… I’m still not over a sentient hat determining your future. What the hell is that about?” Stefan asked, taking a sip of wine as they further conversed.

“It’s terrifying is what it is. Imagine never knowing what magic was, all your life, and the first thing you see when you get into magic school is a talking hat warning you that the world is about to end!” Harry ranted jokingly. “Worse even that it can get into your damn head.”

“And what was your ‘house’ again? Grill- Grin-”

“Gryffindor, the house of daring, nerve, and chivalry. Some would say even bullheadedness and arrogance,” Harry recited, both his House’s motto and the vitriol his dear old potions professor would spout.

“That explains a lot,” Stefan replied, getting met with a flung piece of broccoli. “Hey! Just saying! Besides, the hero routine looks good on you!”

“My friend used to call it my saving people thing. Never went a day without risking my arse just to save someone,” Harry said, remembering all the adventures that he’d had in his years at Hogwarts. “Obviously now I’m a bit more careful, though… I guess getting caught up in vampire business says otherwise…”

“Well, look on the bright side. If you didn’t get caught up in Klaus’ shit, you would have never met me…” Stefan said with a small smile.

“Debatable,” Harry succinctly answered, earning his own reception of rogue broccoli missiles.

“So, you still talk to them? Your school friends?” Stefan asked after a few more respectable moments of eating, wanting to get to know his new flame’s life, bit by saucy bit.

“It’s been a few years since I graduated, and a lot has happened since then… went a bit AWOL for the first year out and that put off some of my mates. Spent the next year traveling from country to country… bed to bed…” Harry explained, eyeing the attentive look on Stefan’s face. “Spent some time trying to make sense of a life outside of being… predestined for _greatness.”_

“Sounds like you could’ve used a hundred years or so to figure that shit out,” Stefan said.

“Well, I’ll gladly take a few of yours,” Harry said, replying in rebuttal. “Not like you need them to reach enlightenment!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The two continued to talk, and with each story, Stefan absorbed every detail, folding it into his mental diary of one Harry Potter. Out of the blue, the wizard had come into his life, and since then had turned it upside down. Well, he and a certain hybrid, though he was choosing to ignore said blonde while he was enjoying his date. Finally, after a plate of haphazardly made Italian food and two glasses of wine, the two had moved into the foyer. Switching from wine to bourbon, the two sat embracing each other of the couch as they continued to get to know each other.

“Enough about me, Stefan. How about you, Mr. Vampire? What makes the secretly unhinged bloodsucker tick?” Harry teased, earning a chuckle from Stefan.

“Honestly? I got nothing as interesting as you. I spent over a hundred years trying to get a personality. Met a few people I regret meeting, met some that I won’t ever forget, and I met some that aren’t worth remembering,” Stefan started, pausing a second to collect his thoughts before he continued. “I could tell you about the Civil War, but that would be a history lesson and not something that would impress you. Um… I had a shitty dad and my mom died when I was young.”

“To losing our mothers when we were young!” At the mention of Stefan’s mom, Harry toasted the glass of alcohol Stefan was nurturing in his hands, before taking a sip. Stefan followed suit, before racking his brain to think of more things to share.

“My brother wasn’t always a douche,” Stefan began, though Harry scoffed quietly. Despite only meeting the elder Salvatore once, he was unsure that Stefan was telling the truth. “Trust me, he used to be the nice one.”

“Hard to believe if I’m honest. I only met him once, and he seemed to reach maximum capacity on the douche-meter,” Harry said to the vampire as he could only respond with a sigh, a nod, and a gulp of bourbon. “Well, if he was so nice, why is he the way he is now?”

Stefan, temporarily stunned at Harry’s admittedly innocent question, took a second before he could verbalize an answer. “Damon… had a hard time conceptualizing eternal life, not without Katherine with him. Tried to just end it after we drank her blood. But… it didn’t work out after I… uh… peer pressured him into completing the transition.”

“Katherine, as in Elena’s doppelganger and the vampire who Klaus kept me locked up with?” Harry asked for clarity, to which Stefan nodded his head. “So, I’m guessing that he was the brother she cared about? They’re very similar and would make a good match.”

Stefan coughed at Harry’s appraisal of the complicated ties that bound the Salvatore brothers to Katherine Pierce. Harry looked up from where he was cuddling Stefan and frowned, silently asking for an explanation.

After clearing his throat, Stefan moved to set his glass down, before going into a rather in-depth history lesson on Katherine. “… after months of toying with us, we found out what she was. Fast forward to our dad shooting us, then her escaping, and every stunt Damon pulled last year, and, well, that’s why they are most definitely _not_ a good match.”

All throughout his story, Harry watched Stefan recant his past, his eyes softening at the hidden pain he seemed to be exposing. Finally, after ending his torrid tale, Stefan picked his glass back up and took a long sip. Smiling, Harry poured out his glass into Stefan’s now empty one, filling it as a symbolic gesture of apology for bringing up old wounds.

“Sorry for bringing up that stuff, didn’t mean to make our date all about your brotherly drama,” Harry said, pouting into Stefan’s nape while said vampire gently caressed Harry’s back.

“It’s fine. It’s as much my story as it is his story, Can’t really talk about my life without him-”

“My oh my, you really move on _fast,_ brother _._ And to a known _abductor_ , no less!” A recognizably snarky voice said from behind them, alerting them to the presence of their most recent topic of discussion.

“Damon,” Stefan said with a sigh, tensing up as his brother got closer to the two of them.

“Can’t believe you dumped Elena for Klaus’ slam piece-” Before he could finish his insult, Damon was met with a rather impressive punch from the no-longer sitting Salvatore.

“Damon!” A shrill voice yelled out suddenly, shocking Harry and Stefan.

“Elena.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Perhaps we should be a bit more considerate. They’ll know it was us… well, they’ll know it was _one_ of us. They’ll most likely retaliate by doing something stupid,” Kol said as he guided around Damon and Elena’s… present. Klaus stayed neutral faced as the gift was put into the back of the car, the two brothers taking up the front seats. “Are you listening to me? Or do you just not care?”

“Do you? If I remember correctly, this was _your_ idea of a welcoming gift. I opted for the severed head of the darling woman who was supposed to keep our… resting siblings safe and unnoticed. You’re the one that wanted to cause a stir!” Klaus bantered as the car revved to life.

“And a severed head wouldn’t?” Kol questioned incredulously, an eyebrow flicking up.

“In my experience, severed heads provide a very clear and concise message. Sending in fodder just leads to unneeded messiness. I know that’s your preferred method of chaos, but we have a family name to uphold brother!” Klaus said as the car maneuvered its way towards the Salvatore estate. The two continued to banter to pass the time, hurling barbed comments at each other as if it were nothing. While they were brothers at the end of the day, their relationship was still on its way to being mended, marred by constant paranoia and infighting.

“How much longer until we reach the dog’s home? I’m beginning to lose more and more interest in-” Kol complained before the car came to a screeching halt. After a sharp glare to his brother, the younger of the two looked out onto the road to see what had stopped their journey. Standing in the middle of the road was a lone suited figure under the soft glow of the streetlight. Rather than looking shocked, Kol looked more annoyed at the prospect of his other older brother interfering in his fun.

“Dramatic as ever,” Kol moaned, leaning his head back as Klaus unclipped his seatbelt. “Please tell me you won’t have a tiff with our brother here and now. We’ve got a date to crash.”

“Shut up, Kol,” Klaus spat out before exiting the car, leaving Kol to watch the proceeding entertainment. Walking at a regular pace, Klaus stepped into the spotlight of the streetlamp, sizing up his brother, having not seen the man since their last encounter all those months ago.

“I’m afraid if you want a rematch, brother, you’ll be sorely at a disadvantage this time around,” Klaus announced, watching the minute movements of his brother, waiting to see if his brother would instigate another brawl.

“After all this time, and all that you’ve done,” Elijah finally said, sparing a single glance to Kol, who tensed under his gaze, “you come here to bring more chaos. More darkness. I thought that finally finding what you’ve been searching for a thousand years would finally sate your need to destroy everything around you. And yet, you choose to announce your return with another tantrum; like a schoolchild hellbent on causing trouble.”

“Ever the wordsmith, brother. Now that you’ve gotten to air your grievances, why don’t you just stay out of my way? It’s not like I’m hunting down the doppelganger to sacrifice her anymore. She and her bumbling idiot of a pet vampire merely crossed me. I’m just paying them back. Tit for tat,” Klaus said with a sharp tongue.

Elijah glared before using his vampire speed to meet Klaus, chest to chest, brother to brother. “Leave them be, Niklaus.”

“Or what? You’re going to try and beat me up like we’re in a schoolyard? Or are you going to be a man about it?” Klaus taunted, catching the hand that Elijah shot towards his side. Twisting till a sickening crunch could be heard, Elijah refused to let out any howl of pain. “I’m this close to bringing our family back together, Elijah. So I would suggest giving me time, brother. Time to give us an army of protection from all that may seek to harm us.”

“We… we don’t need protection, Niklaus. We have no equals, no need… no need to bring about the darkness that has followed us for centuries,” Elijah pleaded, crumbling to the ground under the pressure of Klaus’ strength.

Klaus, taking pity on his brother, whispered to him. “You and I both know that the darkness is already here. Why else would dear Bonnie Bennet make such a spectacle of her return to the living?”

Elijah glared up at his brother before Klaus sped back to his car. Without retaliation, Elijah allowed his two younger brothers to pass him by in their car, but not without a last glance to the pair, and the _body_ sitting in the backseat. Realigning his arm with a grunt, Elijah corrected his suit and began to walk back into town. His thoughts were a storm of speculation and curiosity, but above all else, caution. The image of his Bennet witch attempting to kill Bonnie, the veins on her body as black as the night, came to the forefront.

He would need more information, more time to bide. Elijah could sense a storm coming, one that _wasn’t_ centered around his brother. But, he knew, his _family_ would be its harbinger.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry stared across the table at Elena, awkwardly taking a sip of his bourbon as he listened in on the rather loud argument Stefan and Damon were having in the kitchen. Cringing at the sound of flying kitchenware, Harry stretched to grab the vessel of alcohol. His mind was not one of its own, as Elena too had gone to grab the decanter. Flinching back, Harry gave her another look before letting her take it.

After pouring herself one, Elena handed the decanter to Harry, who gladly accepted and poured some into his glass. After both took a rather large sip, Elena coughing silently after swallowing hers, the two looked at each other strangely.

“This… this is gonna be really awkward now, isn’t it?” Elena finally said, leaning into the sofa.

“Yes… I believe that is the case,” Harry shortly responded.

“So… I just-” Elena tried to complete, before taking another sip, perhaps trying to gain some courage of the liquid variety, “thank you. I never got to say that in the mess of it all. For sort of… in a way… saving my life, and my... Aunt’s life… sort of.”

“You didn’t have to be so nice about everything, and I know that Klaus sort of… um… had you on a leash, so… I appreciate it,” Elena said through nervousness.

“Elena… you don’t have to pretend to be fine with this. Especially since I’m- me and Stefan... and what happened with you two… sorry,” Harry said, placing his drink on the table. Mirroring him, Elena too placed her glass down, now firmly looking at Harry.

“How… how was he? When you and him… and Klaus… when you went away?” Elena asked, biting her cheek, knowing that she was probably about to hear something she didn’t want to.

“Do you really want to know?” Harry asked softly, to which Elena responded with a nod. “He… um… Klaus had him drink human blood. And, well, I’m sure you know what that means for Stefan…”

Elena closed her eyes, trying to hold back tears. She may have just lost him, but… she was beginning to come to terms with the fact that she had lost him much earlier than that.

“I tried to… keep his head above it all. Keep him tempered when I could. Honestly, we weren’t that friendly with each other in the beginning, but… he just has a way of making you want to see the best for him,” Harry further explained, earning a mirthless chuckle from Elena.

“Don’t I know it,” Elena then responded, casting a glance to Harry, who for the first time in the short span that she conversed with him, was also looking directly at her.

“He cared about you… he still cares about you. It’s just… everything’s been thrown into flux and… all we can do is try to stay sane,” Harry said with a sigh.

“Then promise me this,” Elena said suddenly, making sure they were looking into each other’s eyes, “you keep him sane. Through all this Klaus shit, through anything… you keep him afloat. You can keep up with him a hell of a lot better than I can so… take care of him, Harry.”

Harry’s face softened before he nodded. “I promise… and I don’t make promises lightly.”

“Though, I will say… maybe you should try to keep Damon wrangled up and _afloat_ as well. Judging by that foolhardy entrance, he could probably take a second opinion on things,” Harry replied with a joke, though only a half-hearted one. Even a vision-impaired troll could see the sparks between her and Damon; and be it the guilt of practically stealing Stefan from her, or even just being a part of Klaus’ dirty work, Harry felt it was apt to at least nudge her towards him.

“Um… I mean, yeah… but that doesn’t- I mean…” Elena bumbled through her response, blushing from something that was clearly not the alcohol in her system. Harry chuckled at her stammering before the two of them froze at the doorbell being rung. Gracing each other with looks of apprehension, the two began to walk towards the entrance of the Salvatore house.

***I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me***

Elsewhere in the Salvatore mansion, the two brothers of the house’s namesake were having a mini brawl in the kitchen, featuring the hurling of several appliances. In the time that they had taken to move their fight away from vulnerable parties, Stefan had become even more annoyed at the looks Damon was launching towards Harry as they left. Which led to where they were at now, as always, fighting over their love lives.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Damon growled, pointedly gesturing towards the foyer, “why are you sucking face with the witch that Klaus made to kidnap Elena?”

“So what if I am? You aren’t my keeper, Damon! I can do whatever the hell I want!” Stefan shot back.

“See, little brother, normally I’d be all for you stretching out your wings, experiencing the finer, less… small-town-bound things in life. But, as your dear older brother, I at least want to keep you from fucking around with Klaus’ whore!” Damon harshly whispered, only to earn a hook shot to the face.

“Fuck! What the hell, man!” Damon said, rebounding with a gut punch to Stefan. “I’m just trying to stop you from doing something stupid!”

“Don’t be a hypocrite, Damon! Besides, Harry hasn’t hurt anyone on his own, unlike some people who’ve made time to sleep over in this house!” Stefan lambasted his elder sibling.

“Listen, I’m-” Before Damon could finish, both were stopped by the ring of the doorbell.

“Don't answer that!” Both Stefan and Damon screamed out to their mortal companions, though by the sounds of footsteps and locking mechanisms unfurling, they’d both realized they were being ignored.

The two brothers ran to the entrance of their house, stopping once they had found Elena and Harry staring at the ringer at the door. Standing at the entrance was a disheveled looking girl, most likely around Elena’s age. She had brown curls and stood as tall as the two mortals, though her skin was a pale comparison to the other two, _literally._ She seemed to be shaking despite wearing a coat and holding her arms close yet sweat ran down her face.

“Dana?!” Elena asked in shock, wondering why her classmate had come here, let alone why she looked like she’d keel over at the faintest gust.

“Elena?” Dana softly asked, stepping forward. The trio of Damon, Stefan, and Elena all tensing up, too used to innocents winding up undead at their doorsteps. Thankfully, depending on who you’d ask, she was able to transverse the threshold, indicating that she was still living, although to what degree was up for debate.

“You know her?” Harry whispered to the doppelganger, who nodded but kept her eyes squarely on Dana, who took another step forward towards her.

“Dana, why are you here? What’s wrong with you?” Elena finally asked, taking a step forward, much to the chagrin of Damon, who in his transition to Elena’s new knight in shining armor, decided to try and intervene should the need arise. But, as the two took one step forward, Stefan began to stagger back. Catching the move, Harry narrowed his eyes, until he saw the familiar veins pop up.

“Shit!” Harry called out, making a move towards Stefan. In that same instant, Dana opened her coat to show a plethora of gashes along her torso, most likely perpetrated by some form of knife. Elena looked back quickly, her eyes widening, as did Damon’s.

“Stefan! Stefan! You need to calm down! You can’t hurt her! You know her!” Harry tried to plead, putting himself dangerously close to Stefan, although his presence seemed to not upset the vampire as much as Dana and Elena did. Sniffing the air, Stefan’s face curved into a sadistic smile, smelling both the blood that was flooding from Dana’s wounds, as well as the blood that seemed to run through Elena’s veins.

“Elena, get her out of here!” Damon called out, choosing to help handle Stefan and prevent a possible Ripper appearance.

“She’ll die if you don’t give her some blood, Damon! There won’t be enough time to get her to a hospital!” Elena pleaded as she made her way to Dana’s side, the girl already wobbling from blood loss.

“Fuck! Shit!” Damon sneered, pushing Stefan back and away from the vulnerable mortals. To his side, Harry unsheathed his wand, aiming it square at Stefan. “If you’re gonna pull some Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo here, witch boy, now’s a perfect time!”

“Do you have anywhere to put him? Somewhere safe?” Harry frantically asked.

“We have- we have cellar below that we rigged as cages!” Damon bit out, Stefan’s fingers now biting into his sides. Damon, despite the sharp pain, gestured towards the door to the basement.

Nodding, Harry raised his wand at Stefan. “Sorry, Stefan… Depulso!”

As the spell from Harry’s wand rang out, Stefan’s body was hurled from Damon’s hold and flung almost comically towards the basement. Moving towards the door, Harry nodded at Elena before quickly making his way down.

“Damon! She needs your blood!” Elena called to the stunned Damon, who snapped back to reality to answer her call. But, before the vampire could come and assist the injured girl, her body began to jerk up, as if she were a puppet on strings.

“The Mikaelson’s send their regards. They want you to stop snooping around, otherwise more people will get hurt,” Dana droned out, shocking Elena away from the now obviously compelled girl.

“I knew this stunk of Mikaelson shit,” Damon said, scowling. Elena gave Damon a harsh look, still waiting for him to assist the girl. Unfortunately, neither was aware fast enough to stop what was to come next.

“Goodbye,” Dana simply responded once her message was received, interrupting the two as she picked up a letter opener from her coat pocket, stabbing it in her jugular, shocking the two. Before Damon could once again save her, the girl dragged it across her throat before falling the ground once again, this time, permanently. Damon could only watch as Elena screamed in shock, rushing towards the gushes of blood pouring from the girl’s now open throat.

“Shit… message received.”

***I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me***

Harry stood in front of the cell door that Stefan was now in, blocking it so that Stefan wouldn’t be able to barrel his way through the wizard and to the girl. He watched as Stefan’s eyes flitted through varying states of veining, frowning as the vampire seemed to be battling with himself.

“It’s good that you’re fighting it, Stefan. You’re strong enough… I know you are,” Harry said through the metal door, closing his to try and tune out the pained grunting from behind. But, just as there was as settled silence, Elena’s scream rang through the whole floor. The following thud indicated to Harry of the girl’s ultimate fate, and he silently mourned the loss of life.

After an hour, the racket upstairs had gone silent, and Harry watched through the opening as Stefan’s face finally seemed to be calm. Moving his hand towards the door handle, Harry was stopped by another hand grabbing his. Slowly letting go of the handle, Harry sighed as Damon leaned on the wall.

“You should know better than to try and talk with him after a Ripper high. Even a small one like this… and considering your _summer camp_ activities together, I’d thought you’d know the four-one-one. Especially since you’re letting him, you know,” Damon said, suggestively thrusting his hips in a comedic manner, rather than outright acknowledging their new relationship status. Ignoring the rudeness, Harry leaned on the basement wall, looking towards the ground.

“Is she… um…” Harry asked quietly.

“Which one? Elena? Currently taking up bed space while she calms down. _Dana?_ Buried in the backyard,” Damon said nonchalantly, analyzing Harry’s face.

“Why did she… was she compelled?” Harry asked, though by the face Damon was making, he already knew the answer.

Letting out a big sigh, Damon stretched his upper body before making his way down the hall and to a cooler. Grabbing a blood bag, Damon tossed it between his hands. “Up the stairs, to the right, and then up another flight of stairs.”

“Excuse me?” Harry confusedly asked.

“Go get some rest in Stefan’s room. You’ll probably be seeing it a lot more when he’s less,” Damon began to say, “you know… psycho-blood-thirsty. So, make sure you remember the way!”

Harry gave the vampire a careful look, which earned him an eye roll from Damon. “Relax, witchy-woo, I’ll make sure he’s all fine, dandy, and ready for your pleasure!”

Harry blushed fiercely before making his way upstairs, leaving Damon alone with Stefan’s comedown.

“We sure know how to pick’em, huh, brother?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, that could've totally gone worse :p 
> 
> So, spoiler alert, but next chapter is *actually* going to be the start of senior year! We've finally moved past episode 5 chronologically! It only took 22 fucking chapters!
> 
> We get to catch up with Bonnie, see how Tyler deals with his new powers, how Elena's BFFs react to her new relationship status (and the status of her still loveable ex), AND we get to see some good ole' fashioned canon divergence! Give it up for canon divergence everyone!
> 
> Anyway, stay safe and happy reading everyone!


	23. Get The Salvatore Family Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First days are always a doozy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's uppppp! Well, the long-awaited day has arrived! Everyone's first day back! Well, almost everyone ;) Anyway, some fun stuff happens: Stefan goes through it, the girls have a reunion, some flirting goes on o_0, all good stuff! Enjoy!
> 
> As always, leave a comment if you want! And please, if I ever make any mistakes, point them out! I'm so thankful for someone reminding me how vampire blood works! If there's ever a brain fart that I don't catch as I'm editing, just point it out (but be nice!)

Stark black flitted above his concealed eyes. It had been a while since he last had a Ripper binge _not_ come to fruition, so to say that not getting to sink his teeth into Dana was a disappointment, would be an understatement. Stefan groaned as his head began to suture itself back together, metaphorically at least. His Ripper side always reared its ugly head at the worst of times, and even more morose was the fact that he’d always remember it afterward. Thankfully, that meant he knew that all he’d have to deal with right now was a splitting headache and not the guilt of tearing into an innocent high school girl.

“Wakey, wakey, eggs, and bake-y! My dear little Ripper of a brother!” Damon called out as he opened the cell door, shaking a bottle filled with what Stefan assumed was blood. Opening it for his brother, Stefan took a whiff and smelled the fresh scent of deer blood. Stefan groaned as he sat up, holding out his hand for the bottle. Just as he was about to pass it off, Damon jerked it back and wagged his index finger.

Stefan glared as he stood up, once again reaching for the blood. And once again, Damon jerked back, closing up the bottle and walking out the door. “If you want your meal- and, by the way, you should say thank you to me for painstakingly bleeding out _Bambi_ so you could settle your stomach- then I suggest you join me and your boy toy in the kitchen. Today’s the big day, and a balanced breakfast is the best way to make the most of your first day _back to school!”_

Stefan rolled his eyes, but still followed his brother up the stairs, passing by the now scrubbed clean floor by the door. Noticing where his attention was, Damon gave a short laugh before patting Stefan on the back.

“Turns out your new _boyfriend,”_ at this point, Damon wiggled his eyebrow at Stefan, who gave the other a blank stare in return, “is a lot more useful than Bon-Bon when it comes to the hocus pocus shit. Cleaned the floor in a second, and I didn’t even need to pull out the bleach!”

“Glad you’re warming up to him,” Stefan murmured, as they finally made their way to the kitchen, where he saw Harry was sat on the bench, with his hair as messy as it was the morning after they had-

“Good morning, I hope you’re doing… better,” Harry quietly said, before taking a sip of some orange juice. Stefan smiled at him, eyeing the fact that Harry seemed to be wearing a sweatsuit of his.

“I hope you don’t mind, by the way. I would’ve Apparated to my room to get some overnight stuff, but… I wanted to stay and make sure you were fine,” Harry said to Stefan as he sat down.

“Wouldn’t stop pestering me all night. Had to threaten him a few times before he laid off me,” Damon said nonchalantly, earning a humph from Harry, who continued to eat away at his pancakes, which were obnoxiously adorned with fruit that seemed to match the rainbow.

“Oh, I would’ve made you some too, Stefan, but I figured you’d want to figure out the _color scheme_ first before I start dressing it all up like Merlin’s pancakes over here,” Damon said, pointing to the wizard caught in an awkward position, who had the fork jammed into his mouth as he was acknowledged.

“Speaking of, should I sign you up for the Gay-Straight Alliance, Stefan? They could always use more members, and I’m sure they’d welcome a football star-” Damon teased, before being interrupted by Stefan.

“Keep talking and I’ll snap your neck, Damon,” Stefan said with cool precision, causing Harry to slowly scoot away with his plate.

Damon shrugged and gave Stefan a smile, before turning to his side to wink at Harry. “Don’t worry, _Harry,_ I’m just as equal opportunity as my brother is. No judgment from me at all, just some brotherly teasing.”

“Anyway,” Stefan heaved out, wanting to change the subject, “where’s Elena? I remember you saying she was staying over last night after…”

Damon gave his brother a strained look before crossing his arms and leaning back. “Took her back home at dawn. Said she wanted to get changed and ready for today. Tried to convince her not to, but… she’s stubborn as hell and wanted to be with her _friends at school.”_

Damon had lightened his voice at the end to mock Elena, though both parties at the table knew there wasn’t any malice in his words. Well, mostly, he was still Damon Salvatore after all.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“While we’re on the topic of school,” Damon began, shifting the topic once more, “you should probably chug down the Bambi smoothie and get ready; you too, Wizard of Oz. Don’t want to be late!”

Stefan followed his brother’s instructions, though more so to sate his hunger than to abide by what he was saying. Although, once he put the bottle down, after draining it, he looked to see that Harry was still leisurely eating his breakfast. Both brothers turned their heads to him, to which Harry simply replied by sipping on more orange juice.

Tossing his head back to down the last bit of juice, Harry peaked through one eye to see the confused looks on the brothers’ faces. Setting the glass down, Harry craned his neck to the side, and then to the other. “I’ve graduated once already, don’t need to do it again!”

Damon, almost comically, gasped, turning to Stefan with another teasing look. “Stefan, you didn’t tell me you were dating an older man! What would your friends say if they found out?”

The joke earned a swat to the head from Harry, who glared at being called old. “Fuck you, Damon. I’m not old by any means. I can’t even get a pint in America without using magic or getting funny looks.”

“First off, watch it, short stuff. I can break you in half before you’d even get to ‘alakazam’,” Damon started, “secondly, I pegged you for seventeen, max, so congrats on having good genes.”

Stefan rolled his eyes at the two’s argument, before standing to go get ready, giving a pleading look to Harry. “You sure you don’t want to come? This is like, my fifteenth senior year. I’d enjoy this one a lot more if you were there.”

Harry sighed, before standing up from the kitchen table and depositing his empty dishes into the sink. Silently spelling them to clean themselves, earning a whistle from Damon, Harry walked to Stefan, hooking his arms around his neck.

“I’d certainly love to make your days more enjoyable,” Harry said, planting a kiss on Stefan, earning a fake vomiting sound from Damon in the background, “but I don’t think I have the proper _muggle_ education to even attempt to blend in. Maybe if I’m bored out of my mind while you’re there, I’ll come swooping in as the handsome exchange student?”

“I’ll take it,” Stefan whispered into another kiss, to which Damon clapped his hands to interrupt their small moment. Stopping short of deepening it just to spite the older Salvatore, the pair separated accordingly.

“Thank you for being modest. I hope I don’t have to make sure you leave room for the _guy up there_ ,” Damon joked, knowing full well he’d done some heinous things on pretty much every surface of the manor. Giving the two a mocking thumbs up, Damon left them to their own devices.

Both rolled their eyes at him, though Harry took one more step back as Damon filed out of the kitchen and to his own room, which was no longer commandeered. “I probably have to go now.”

“What the hell are you gonna be doing without me?” Stefan asked lightly.

“I’ve gotten to know the town based on two vampires’ experiences here, both of which weren’t so pleasant. So, I’ll probably be spending my first day on my own peacefully exploring Mystic Falls. _Hopefully_. But, knowing Klaus and Kol… anyway, have fun, learn a lot, don’t eat the cheerleaders!” Harry said, laying one last kiss on Stefan’s lips, before Apparating away with a wave. Once he was gone, he could a chuckle coming from the floor above.

“Don’t eat the cheerleaders, he says! Get the Salvatore family ring, Stefan! I think I’m starting to really like him!”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Can you please answer the phone, Tyler?! I know your mom called me yesterday to say that you were back, but I’d like to hear it from your mouth, you jackass! Totally not cool leaving your girlfriend in the dark!” Caroline ranted into her phone, shuffling it between her hands, which held her purse, supply bag, binder, and clipboard in them. Despite it being the first day back, the blonde was already working on numerous projects, and despite her hardships over the summer, she was keen on making the most of her year.

“Careful, Car’, your megalomaniac is showing,” a quiet voice to Caroline’s left said, though, in the field of hundreds of cacophonous teenage noises, Caroline would always find this one. Gently setting her things on the hood of her car- cause she sure as hell wasn’t going to drop it, reunion be damned- the blonde ran up to her friend, enveloping her in a hug.

“Bonnie,” Caroline whispered into Bonnie’s hair, laying a kiss on her forehead as she unhooked herself from the witch to give her some room. “Oh my god, you… you look so fucking good! But why… why are you here? I thought your dad said you needed more time to recover?”

Despite the verbal mileage Caroline had, Bonnie took it all in stride, too used to, and missing, quite frankly, it. “Woah, Car’. One question at a time!”

“Right, sorry!” Caroline said with her arms flailing up before settling by her sides. “Just… I missed you. And I love you. So. Much!”

Caroline then settled for another hug, though this time, Bonnie graciously reciprocated this one.

“Bonnie?!” Another voice could be heard behind the pair, though both knew exactly who it belonged to. Without moving an inch, Bonnie was practically tackled by Elena, who had almost scooped up her best friend off the ground in excitement.

“Oh my god, you’re here, and-”

“I already got the routine from Caroline, Elena. I’m doing _fine,”_ Bonnie announced, before letting herself get another kiss on the forehead from her other best friend. Caroline looked at the girl, her best friends, and gave a teary smile, not going unnoticed by them, as they too began to tear up. The trio gave in to a group hug, holding each other, just the three of them, for the first time in months.

“This is the most perfect way to start the year off,” Caroline said breathlessly.

“Yeah, yeah it is,” Bonnie said, excavating herself from the duo to walk up to her love. Jeremy, just as his sister and her friend, was teary-eyed. But, unlike the two, he gladly dropped all his belongings to run and sweep Bonnie off of her feet, plating a deep and longing kiss on her lips; one that was happily accepted.

“You know what?! Fuck Klaus! Fuck the Mikaelson’s! Fuck anyone else that tries to take this away from us! I won’t let them try and destroy our senior year!” Caroline proclaimed, scooping up her belongings as she and Elena followed Bonnie and Jeremy into the school.

Elena laughed at her friend before her mind went briefly to the events of the night before. Shuttering quietly to herself, the doppelganger decided to try and keep those thoughts away. At least, for the first day. For Bonnie.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“He what?!” Caroline practically screamed as the three of them had come early to Alaric’s classroom, to discuss and catch up. The blonde was, as expected for the news Elena had delivered, livid, to say the least. “I can’t believe that sleazy, no good, fake-perfect piece of sh-”

“Car’! Calm down!” Elena pleaded, pointing to the small crowd that had accumulated from the blonde vampire’s screaming. Said blonde glared at the conglomeration of students, who had in turn dispersed, not wanting to upset the queen bee of Mystic Falls High School.

“Elena! I mean, no offense, but I’m with Caroline. Why are you so calm? He dumped you for the guy that kidnapped you!” Bonnie said in a sharp whisper, which garnered a fervent nod from Caroline. The two looked at the brunette with incredulous stares, unable to comprehend how she was able to talk about her heartbreak in such a way.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna kill him. That’s it. I’ll get revenge for what he did to-” Caroline began to rant, only to be settled by a look from Elena. The blonde let out steam before deflating, slouching in her chair.

“I’m fine… well, maybe I’m not, _fine,_ fine. But… it’s something that would’ve happened eventually, especially after he left town. I thought things would just, I don’t know, get back to the way they were once he was back, but… that was selfish of me. He’s obviously got a lot to deal with too, and who am I to stand in the way of that. Besides, I actually talked with Harry, and he seems to be a nice guy. He’s probably got a better handle on the whole Ripper thing, considering he’s a witch, so…” Elena explained, her two friends nonplussed about her sentiments.

“First of all,” Caroline began, only to take it down a notch when Elena glared at her, “first of all… it’s great that you’re being mature about this. It shows you have dignity, something that Stefan clearly doesn-”

After another look, the blonde settled a bit more. “Fine. You’re cool with it. We should be cool with it by proxy. But just cause you’re trying to be civil doesn’t mean I have to be. If he looks at you cross or something, I’ll cut his dick off and make his watch it regrow!”

“Car’!” Both Elena and Bonnie admonished, though the three then laughed. All was settled, and things were beginning to feel more normal.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Did you call him?” Bonnie asked as the topics of conversation had moved on from Elena’s relationship woes and to Caroline’s own.

“Yeah, left a shit ton of messages. Then, all of sudden, I get a call from Mrs. Lockwood and she says he’s all fine and that I’d see him at school,” Caroline bemoaned.

“Well, have you seen him yet?” Elena then asked, the three huddling closer as more students began to trickle in, the school day ready to begin soon.

“No! But he has history with us, so he has to come through that door-” Caroline began to say, just as a familiar vampire walked through them. The other two girls all turned their heads, only to tense as Stefan walked through the door.

The vampire gave an awkward wave to the three of them, with Elena being the only one giving one back. The other two gave him a plethora of emotions, ranging from tenseness from Bonnie to outright anger from Caroline. The vampire took the looks loud and clear and strayed to a few seats away from where he’d normally sit, next to Elena.

The girl gave a comforting look back as Alaric too swept into the classroom, adjourning any remnant conversations that were to be had. With a nod of thanks, the two ex-lovers faced forward to Alaric, who had seemed to be wearing a suit much too expensive for a teacher’s salary. The knowing faces raised their eyebrows, to which Alaric responded with a cough and flustered look.

“Ok, class. Hope you all had a… good summer. But we’re all back in this hellhole so,” Alaric said as began his teacher introduction, pausing to allow for giggles, before continuing, “let’s not slack off right away. Especially since you’re all seniors, and, by the way, don’t assume I’ll take it easy on you cause it’s the last time I’ll see… _most_ of you. It’s gonna be a tough one, so, let’s all begin on page thirty-four of your text-” Alaric tried to start before a ruckus was heard outside the closed classroom door. Raising a brow, the teacher-turned-vampire hunter narrowed his eyes, before the door opened, with one Tyler Lockwood barreling through, football equipment in hand and all.

“Glad you could finally join us, Tyler,” Alaric said sarcastically, earning a few chuckles from the class; though, the presence of the boy gave Caroline a much different emotion. Tyler took a deep breath before nodding in apology to Alaric.

“Sorry, Mr. Saltzman, but,” Tyler began, turning his head, only to flinch back at the nasty look Caroline was giving him, “I was coming on time, but I ran into a new kid who needed some help around. He was in this class too, so I offered to show him the way.”

Alaric took the excuse and chewed on it, finally gesturing for Tyler to settle down in his seat. “Noble effort, Tyler. Maybe football did teach you a thing or two about teamwork.”

Giving an awkward smile, the wolf-turned-hybrid sat in his seat, giving way for the supposed new student to come waltzing in. Alaric beckoned the student to come into the room and come in the student did.

“Why don’t you introduce yourself to the class, bud,” Alaric said nonchalantly, ignorant to the frozen stares of terror and confusion from Elena and Stefan, respectively. The boy walked to the front of the desk and smiled at the class, some of the girls already fawning for the teen’s dashing looks. Though, not all were falling for it.

“What’s up, mates. My name’s Kol. Kol _Mikaelson._ Pleased to meet you all,” Kol proclaimed, giving a sly wink to both Elena and Stefan, before taking up an empty seat in the front, next to Tyler, who gave the immortal teen a smirk.

“All right, now that introductions are out of the way, let’s all turn our textbooks to page thirty-four. And, why don’t we have the new kid read aloud the first paragraph,” Alaric said, though his face became downcast as he saw the looks from Elena and Stefan, both of whom returned a cautionary stare to the teacher.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Took you long enough, Harry. By the way, did you enjoy our little… gift? A little birdie told me that Stefan certainly did,” Klaus drawled as Harry reappeared in the mansion, his disheveled appearance being heavily appreciated by the Original. Harry glared at the man, crossing his arms as though he were a mother about to scold her child.

“Why the hell did you need to involve an innocent person? Surely you could have gotten your point across without a body count!” Harry rebutted.

“Harry, did you _really_ expect any less from me? Let alone with Kol enabling me?” Klaus said, narrowing his eyes playfully at the pout that was growing on Harry’s face.

Sighing, knowing that Klaus was correct, Harry made to sit on the steps of the stairwell, Klaus following him afterward. “No… but I thought you’d try to be a little better than that.”

“Could’ve just pranked them or something. I’m sure non-removable ink or a skunk bomb would’ve done the job,” Harry said through a childish pout, reminiscing about a certain pair of twins.

“I’m trying to tell two imbeciles to back off, Harry, not getting back at them because they stole my lunch,” Klaus said with a smile, leaning closer to Harry. “I’m above those displays of childish antics, and believe it or not, so is Kol.”

Harry gave a humorless laugh, then turned to face the Original. “And yet you chose the night of my date with Stefan to enact your revenge against Damon and Elena. Sounds every bit as childish as a schoolboy to me.”

Klaus, contrary to how Harry thought he’d respond, gave the wizard another smile. “Well, that’s just me indulging in some rather spectacular… what’s the modern term? Ah, _blue balling.”_

Harry rolled his eyes, but still indulged in another chuckle. For all that Klaus was an egocentric ass, his dark sense of humor tickled some deeply imbedded part in Harry’s mind.

“Why did I let myself get involved in stupid vampire drama?” Harry asked himself rhetorically.

“Because you couldn’t resist getting to know a handsome devil like me?” Klaus answered back, smiling at the blush it brought on Harry’s face.

“Devil is an _understatement_ of a word for you, Klaus,” Harry said, tapering off and ushering the two into a comfortable silence. Sighing, Harry leaned back, stretching his neck out, giving Klaus an eyeful of his ravishing neck.

“They all hate you; I hope you know that. Stefan… he can’t stomach the sight of you right now. At least, that’s what he told me,” Harry admitted after breaking the silence.

“And you? Do you partake in that same hatred of me?” Klaus asked.

Harry stayed silent for a few moments, twisting his neck so that he was once again looking at Klaus. “I’d be lying if I said… yes.”

“Don’t worry, I promise not to tell,” Klaus responded with a finger over his mouth. “But… after all that I’ve done in your presence, you still don’t hate me?”

“I’ve met men like you before. Although, they were boys at the time, which, probably says a lot about you,” Harry began with a tease, before going further, “one was very similar to you. Arrogant, indifferent, controlling… alone, cold… and yet, he was _so_ beautiful. So unwilling to let himself go, but when he did…”

Klaus gave a tight smile that relaxed as Harry went on, giving careful attention to the words that Harry was uttering.

“You’ve let me in, and I know under all that destruction and anger, there’s a man that just needs someone willing to put up with their shit until they’re ready to let it all go,” Harry said dazedly, gently laying them back down into silence.

“You know, more desperate individuals have tried a thousand times over to be seductive enough to entice me; yet, here you are, not even giving it another thought and looking infinitely more desirable than they ever could,” Klaus said out of the blue after a wide berth of silence, leaning more into Harry’s personal space.

“Is sex always on your mind when you aren’t plotting world domination?” Harry asked softly, “I just told you that you suck at dealing with your emotions. I didn’t ask you to talk about how much you want to snog me.”

“It is a bit difficult to think of anything else, I’m afraid. At least, not with you around,” Klaus flirted even more, though, to his slight dismay, Harry giggled softly.

“What?” Klaus asked, his flirtatious smile turning into more of a scowl.

“Sex, power, violence… you just… everything about you embodies the men in my life that have caused me the most pain… and yet… just like them… I can’t manage to stay away,” Harry whispered.

“Is that all you think of me? A man who’s going to cause you pain?” Klaus questioned, affronted at Harry associating him with the unsavory characters of his past. 

“But that’s what you are…” Harry said, finally looking Klaus directly in the eye. “I can’t… I can’t let one good thing overwrite all the bad that you’ve done…”

“And if… I were to be better, what then?” Klaus responded.

“Then you’ll be a better person, without the need for my validation, Klaus. Be good to do good, not so that you can try and steal me away from Stefan,” Harry protested.

“Who said anything about stealing, _love,”_ Klaus said seriously, his voice deepening. Harry responded nonverbally with a blush, looking away.

“Did you not hear the part where I said Stefan hates you… I highly doubt he’d be interested in… whatever it is you’re suggesting,” Harry said in response, shying away from Klaus now upturned mouth.

“In due time… perhaps he’ll learn to share his shiny new trinkets,” Klaus said ominously, “in the meantime, ask him about his time in the twenties.”

With that, Klaus had stood up, leaving Harry dumbfounded on the steps as the man walked to his gallery room, closing the door behind him with a wink to Harry.

“Bloody fucking hybrid.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Let’s go! I don’t give a damn if you’re the new kid, we got drills to cover and very little time! I don’t get paid enough to watch you and the rest of the sissies-” The school’s coach began to yell to the prospective Kol, who had, thanks to Tyler, gotten a chance to practice with the football team. This meant, in actuality, he got more time to tease and bully Stefan without Harry to intervene.

Kol merely stood by, never having experienced being on the end of a suburban high school football coach’s rants despite his long life. Chalk it up to his brother’s itchy trigger finger, or more aptly, his dagger hand. He reveled in the experiences of a common high school boy, before the yelling and belittling got on his nerves, as it did another party on the field.

“Coach, I think you need to chill out!” Tyler responded, covertly using his new compulsion abilities to compel the coach. “How about you let us practice on our own, while you go take a break inside.”

The coach dully nodded, before parroting Tyler’s orders out to the players, earning a symphony of testosterone-filled cheers. Tyler smirked, before looking back to Kol, who merely nodded back at him. Stefan noticing the exchange, narrowed his eyes, walking up to Kol now that the football team had scattered about the track and field.

“What? Did you compel the coach to follow whatever order anyone told him to do?” Stefan asked, picking up the brown pig-skin he loved to throw about, on the occasion that no one was in immediate danger, of course. With football in hand, the vampire threw it rather harshly towards Kol, injecting a bit of his vampire strength into the toss.

“Something to the tune of that, dog,” Kol responded as he caught the ball with ease, his centuries on Stefan making it easy to handle the throw. The Original palmed the ball, tossing it back towards Stefan, with a bit more oomph. At the sight of Stefan slightly struggling to catch it, Kol laughed. “Oh, how I wish Harry were here. It would make this dreary existence of a school much better.”

Though Stefan silently agreed, he was certainly not going to indulge the Mikaelson, especially the one that seemed to like him the least.

“Why are you even here, Kol. Did Klaus send you here to spy on us? Or did he dump you here because he didn’t want to deal with your ass?” Stefan asked, throwing the football back at Kol, who caught it in a tight grip that slightly deflated the ball. Must’ve hit a nerve, Stefan thought to himself.

“Unfortunately, no. I’m here for another reason,” Kol said with a tight smile, as he sent the ball hurling towards Stefan. The ball was laced with a bit too much momentum for Stefan to handle, as it ricocheted off of his chest and onto the ground, earning a couple whistles and claps of impression from the surrounding footballers.

“Though… perhaps I can try to make the most of it,” Kol said, smirking at the curling inward of Stefan, most likely due to the pain the ball had caused him. Had he not been immortal, perhaps the ball would’ve collapsed a lung, or at the very least, break a rib. Walking towards the staggered vampire, Kol stopped short of being next to him. Eyeing a couple of cheerleaders that were in another group besides a familiar trio, he gave them a wink before taking his shirt off, earning cheers from that same group of girls.

“Tell Harry that if he gets tired of fleas, he can come over and enjoy all of this,” Kol said, gesturing to his muscular body, before making his way through the track and towards the cheerleaders who looked ready to pounce, though, they didn’t realize that _they_ were the prey instead.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Ugh, he’s disgusting,” Caroline whined as she watched Kol approach the group of cheerleaders. “Don’t they have any dignity?”

“Uhh, yeah, sure,” Elena said distractedly, before turning to Stefan, who seemed to have recovered from Kol’s throw. “Do you think we should see if he’s ok?”

“Um, no! Hello! You two broke up! And no matter how civil you two are, it’s totally in the dating rules that you need to give each other at least like… a month of separation! You know, if you love something, let it go, and if it loved you back, it’ll return!” Caroline ranted, before grimacing as Kol took two girls under his arms.

“Besides, I don’t think he should be the one we help. Those desperate bottom feeders need to-” Caroline almost said, before Bonnie put a hand on her arm.

“Car’, I hate to be the one to say this, but… you used to be one of those ‘desperate bottom feeders’. Besides, he’s in public, he’s not gonna do anything bad,” Bonnie reasoned.

“That’s a little rude,” Stefan whispered, knowing that Caroline could hear him.

“Shut up! I am not conversing with my best friend’s ex!” Caroline said, with Bonnie and Elena giving her a confused look.

“Are you two talking over vampire radio?” Bonnie asked, chuckling at the surrealness of her vampire friends using their powers to communicate.

“No! I mean, yes! I mean… ugh, he’s just commenting on something he shouldn’t be a part of! So, you know what Stefan!? I am not talking to you anymore!” Caroline childishly ranted back to Stefan, who gave a small pinched grin, his eyes wavering over Elena before he turned to go practice with another group.

“Ugh, boys! Even Tyler’s been acting like an ass!” Caroline began to rant, with Elena nodding, though mostly absently, her eyes still lingering on Stefan.

Bonnie watched on the side before she began to hear something. A distant echo of a voice, a voice that sounded so familiar. “He’s acting all normal… I need to act that way too… no, I need to feel that way! He’s with Harry now, and I can’t… I can’t dwell on him! I have Da- no, I don’t!”

“Elena?” Bonnie asked, the voice suddenly disappearing as the girls turned to her.

“Yeah? What is it, Bonnie?” Elena asked, confused as to why she was called.

“It’s… sorry, I just thought… you were talking to me,” Bonnie strung together, though it seemed to not satisfy the doppelganger, nor the blonde, as now they both gave her funny looks.

“Bonnie… you do realize the kinds of lives we live… if there’s some funny business going on, you need to tell us!” Elena said, surprising Bonnie with the support she was receiving.

“Yeah!” Caroline agreed, “no more secrets! No more drama, no nothing! We tell each other _everything!”_

Bonnie looked at her friends with apprehension, before her shoulders untensed. “Thanks, guys… I appreciate it.”

“So? Spill!” Caroline said, grabbing her friends by the hands and bringing them to the grass where they sat.

“It’s… I’ve been hearing voices. Ever since I woke up from my coma.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to write the complexities of high school relationships and dynamics for a bunch of gorgeous teenagers whose only problems are the supernatural is tough lol. 
> 
> Poor Stefan, Kol's such a meanie :( and what's this? Elena's being level headed and not messy with Stefan? We love to see it! As I said early on, I don't want Elena to be annoying, so she'll definitely try to reign in Caroline's cattiness. 
> 
> Anyway, next chapter we get to see more Klaus and Harry, and we get to have a flashback peek into.... the 20's... dun dun DUNNNNN!
> 
> As always, hope you enjoyed! Stay safe, and see you guys later!


	24. The Stepford Husband of Oz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Road trip part 2, but make it saucier! Plus some flashback scenes to the roaring '20s!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! The new chapter is here! And we get some Klaus and Harry bonding time, with a side of Stefan and Harry naughtiness, and a trio of girlfriends maneuvering their way around the supernatural!
> 
> Also, just wanted to say, there's going to be some time jumps, the first of which happens after the intro scene. Nothing too big, just a wide enough time so that this story isn't moving at a snail's pace. They'll happen every once in a while when I need to move things along, so hopefully, no one gets too confused now that I've given you the heads up.
> 
> Anyway, on to the story! As always, leave a comment if you want, just be respectful!

_“I’d appreciate it if you could get me a drink, sir!” Stefan called out over the overbearing live Jazz music in the background. Flappers and heavy drinkers alike were strewn across the speakeasy, laughing, and drinking to their heart’s content. The noise, while tempestuous to most, was rather perfect for the vampire. An easier way to hide in plain sight, gorging himself on the inebriated fools that drunkenly pranced in and out of the hidden bunker. Hidden behind a little shoe shop in Chicago, this speakeasy was the place that Stefan liked to call his hunting ground._

_He’d thank whatever god was in the sky or earth that the bartender was just like him; a carnivorous predator, prowling on the unsuspecting mortals that thought a quick little drink was worth paying their lives for. Not that they’d know that._

_“You sir are a monster when you get too full of my gin. Barely kept the police away without playing my hand thanks to your stunts. If you keep this up, you’ll bring this humble abode to the attention of less savory customers,” The barman grumbled as he poured a glass for Stefan, who through the man’s ranting simply smiled._

_“Aw, I know you love me, Gabe. Without me, you wouldn’t have any of those pretty girls you like to play around with dancing around,” Stefan countered, taking a sip of his gin and then placing his glass down._

_“Please, I’m a vampire just like you, idiot,” Gabe said under the thrall of the Jazz singer’s croons and the busy buzz of the drinkers around them, knowing that nobody could hear them, sober or not. “I can get as many pretty dames as I want!”_

_“Sure, but who’d believe a bunch of pretty ladies would spend their time with an old geezer like you? At least with me, they’d believe it!” Stefan cackled, clanking his glass to an unsuspecting patron next to him, before winking at the barman and leaving to find his next victim._

_Speaking of which, a very pretty blonde mane caught his eye. The woman, turning around, seemed to have a neck as pretty as her hair, with a matching pretty face to boot! A complete set to top off his rather indulgent day on the prowl._

_Walking up to the woman, Stefan attempted to weave his arm around her, only to be stopped by another man’s hand. Turning his head, Stefan quirked his eyebrow at the man who’d stopped him. The blonde man smirked, turning to the woman, who seemed to relax her shoulders._

_“C’mon love, why don’t you go and find us a booth. It seems as though I’ll be needing to talk to our new friend here,” The man said with a rather interesting accent. The woman rolled her eyes at the man, before she walked away, leaving the two of them behind._

_“You know if it wasn’t for the fact that you tried to make a meal out of my sister- which by the way, she’d tear you apart- I’d applaud your methods,” The man said to him, wrapping an arm around Stefan’s shoulders. “You must be the monster that hides in this dark little cave, eh?!”_

_“You… how do you know I’m a…” Stefan stammered._

_“It’s a fancy little trick I’ve picked up over the centuries, being able to sniff out my own kind… And, well, you may be able to hide bodies from the police, but you can’t hide them from other vampires,” The man said, patting him on the back as he led Stefan to the booth where the woman was sitting, a drowsy man lolling his head next to her. Forcing him to sit down opposite the woman, Stefan carefully eyed the man as he sat next to her._

_“Who... are you?” Stefan asked with a critical eye, watching the way the man’s smile became rather maniacal._

_“Me? Well… to some, a brother. To others, their worst nightmare. But to you… you can call me Klaus.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“You know, I’m pretty sure they have services to deal with this. Or, at least, that’s what all those television shows that my cousin used to watch say,” Harry placidly said to a rather miffed Stefan.

“This isn’t funny!” Stefan said with a lopsided face, not being able to hold in his laughter as he cuddled with his boyfriend. “He’s absolutely wreaking havoc on the school!”

“By snogging cheerleaders, joining the football team, and bullying you?” Harry questioned, earning an incredulous spasm of gestures from Stefan.

“Yes! Exactly! I mean, why the hell else would three girls on the team come in with scarfs the day after he starts stripping for them!” Stefan explained, earning another chuckle from Harry.

“Careful Stefan, your old age is showing. We’re well past the time where people should be shamed for-”

“Harry!” Stefan interrupted. “It’s been two weeks and we still don’t know what he’s up to!”

“Stefan,” Harry interrupted himself, flipping them over so that he was straddling the vampire. “You’ve been telling me this every time we talk, and every time I get back to the mansion, he seems to be doing nothing. Not even homework!”

Stefan offered a skeptical look that warmed into affection, much to the pleasure of Harry. “I’m definitely not one to make light of bullying, but you need to relax. He hasn’t brought any victims, cheerleader or not, back to the mansion. Besides, he hasn’t had a shit-eating grin since your school year started so I’m sure he’s just going through the same paces as you all are.”

“But how do you know? Maybe he brings them to the woods to eat them!” Stefan said with a slight wisecracking tone, gliding his hands to lay on Harry’s very pert ass.

“If you really had worries, you’d be brooding, not groping me,” Harry said, leaning his head down to plant a kiss on Stefan’s neck. Said vampire grinned, taking his chance to start a rather steamy make-out session in the bed.

The two ground on each other’s bodies, deepening the kiss as Stefan made way to remove the wizard’s shirt. Flipping them over once again, with Stefan on top, the vampire kissed his way down Harry’s torso.

“Stefan!” Harry moaned out, dragging up Stefan’s face from his stomach, lavishly kissing those soft, hungry lips-

“Leave some room for Jesus, you horndogs!” Damon called out from the bottom of Stefan’s room’s staircase. The pair quickly stiffened before grumbling, sharing one last kiss before Harry put his clothes back on.

“I think I should rent an apartment. Outside of town… better yet, outside of the state. That way, we won’t-” Stefan began to say, before shouting out the last part, “have to deal with cock-blocking assholes!”

“Love you too, my dear brother!” Damon called out once more, his steps sounding farther and farther away, indicating that he had left the two to their peace.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“I don’t like this,” Stefan said, crossing his arms as he watched Harry eat his breakfast. The wizard had opted to stay with his new beau for the weekend and after a well-worth-it night of… fun, to say the least, the two sat in the kitchen with Damon putting their state of the art kitchen to use.

“I second that, Abracadabra. He may want to get into your pants, and you’re still compelled to do what he says. He’s probably trying to get you alone so he can brainwash you into the Stepford Husband of Oz,” Damon said, plating the bacon he had made for the wizard. Placing it in front of Harry, Damon took up the seat next to Stefan, much to the annoyance of his brother.

“First off, I hate that we’re now this close. I don’t appreciate the nicknames,” Harry said to Damon, who merely shrugged, “second, he wouldn’t do anything bad to me! He’s obviously not the best man around, but he’s decent when he wants to be! Besides, I think living without the fear of him sending another one of your classmates as a _gift_ is a pretty good deal!”

“We could one-up that and kill the bastard!” Damon offered, which garnered a stink eye from Harry, and strangely enough, Stefan as well. In the time that he’d spent in and out of the Salvatore house, he’d found that Damon seemed to not be as asshole-ish as he’d surmised since first meeting him. A raging annoyance? Sure! And a professional cock-blocker if he ever saw one? Most definitely. But still, he had a heart…somewhere.

“It’s just a short trip. And besides, I’ll be back, and we won’t have to talk about him for a couple of days!” Harry said. “We’re just heading to some mountain clearing a couple of hours from here.”

“Fine… just… watch out and be careful… make sure you bring your… you know,” Stefan sighed, hunching his shoulders as Damon gave a skeptical look to both of them.

“Don’t leave home without it,” Harry said with a smile, finishing his breakfast and spelling the dishes clean. Damon, confronted with the fact that he didn’t have to do the dishes, comically swooned.

“Stefan, if you don’t marry him, I will. Just so I can get him to clean up the house!” Damon said in a teasing way, earning a chuckle and eye roll from Stefan and Harry, respectively.

Once the three had cleared the kitchen, Damon went off through the door and away from the manor in his car, no doubt to visit a certain doppelganger, while Harry and Stefan went back to lounge in Stefan’s room.

“I don’t trust him…” Stefan mumbled into Harry’s hair, breathing in the scent.

“You don’t think he’s a trustworthy man,” Harry admitted softly.

“Of course I don’t. I still don’t get why…” Stefan tried to say before Harry crawled to the foot of the bed eyeing Stefan with a devious glint.

“Because _I_ trust him, Stefan… against all odds, and despite his proclivity to being a shithead,” Harry whispered as he palmed Stefan’s pant hem, dragging it down to expose him.

“You… you know that won’t distract me…” Stefan said with a strain in his voice, especially when Harry’s head began to dip towards his crotch.

“Don’t be too sure…” Harry said as he kissed the head of Stefan’s cock. “Besides, I have some time to spare before I have to go, and by then you’ll be too worn out to stop me…”

Stefan attempted to argue, but as Harry’s tongue continued to… do what it was doing, he couldn’t help but throw his head back in pleasure. A mouthful later, and Stefan was _thoroughly_ distracted.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Ok, what am I thinking?” Caroline asked Bonnie, closing her eyes as if trying to manifest her thoughts and project them to the girl. In the two weeks, since she had revealed her new powers to her best friends, the vampire and doppelganger had made it their mission to try and help Bonnie handle them.

Bonnie took a sparing glance at the pajama dressed teen, a wardrobe choice courtesy of their girl’s night sleepover at Elena’s house. Jenna had graciously evacuated the premises with Alaric to his apartment to give the girls their privacy, vampire hearing, and all.

“Ok, um…” Bonnie started, closing her eyes to try and concentrate. While she had been able to accidentally gain glances into the thoughts of others at school, she’d never been able to purposefully read them from another person.

After a minute, inundated by the baited breaths of Caroline and Elena, Bonnie relaxed her posture before groaning, smashing a pillow over her face. Elena gave the girl a comforting rub on the back as Caroline offered a frown.

“Still nothing?” Elena asked, to which Bonnie nodded.

“Can’t you like… I don’t know, look it up in a spellbook or something?” Caroline asked, receiving a look from Bonnie that told her that point was moot.

“That’s the thing, Car’. It’s not magic, it's… something else. And I can’t- shouldn’t be doing magic, not after…” Bonnie said with a downcast expression. In her divulging of her woes, Bonnie had told her friends of her trip to the Other Side, and the events that occurred during it. She’d gotten the most comforting hugs from them after she had told them what happened to her Grams, and the sullenest expression when she told them of who had caused it. 

“Ugh! Why does the universe fucking hate us!” Caroline bemoaned.

“I ask myself that every day,” Bonnie said, joining in on the whining. As cool as it was to have access to… whatever it was that she had access to, unlike discovering her magic, she didn’t have her Grams with her to guide her along. And with the warning that she had given Bonnie in her last moments of consciousness, she prayed every day for some help.

“Hey! No whining! We said we’d mope _after_ we have breakfast!” Elena offered in a more neutral drawl, trying to give her friends some modicum of comfort.

“I know… I know… it’s just, I wish I had someone to help me through this. I mean, like them or not, you both had people to learn from. Car’, you had Damon _and_ Stefan helping you get used to being, you know… and Elena, they might be psychotic as hell, but at least Katherine and Klaus filled you in on the whole doppelganger thing. I have… no one,” Bonnie frowned, sighing while falling back onto the bed.

“Are you sure we can’t call like, I don’t know, Miss Cleo or something? Or a psychic hotline and ask for tips?” Caroline jokingly offered, lightening the mood for the group as they laughed.

“You aren’t alone, you know that, right Bonnie?” Elena asked as she turned to her friend, the girl sandwiched between the doppelganger and the vampire.

Bonnie gave a nod with a small smile, cuddling into the brunette as the blonde hugged her back.

“I know.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

_“I’m beginning to think you’ve replaced me, Stefan,” Gabe whined as Stefan carried three glasses from the bar tender’s hands. Stefan smirked at the bartender, giving a sly smile to the other vampire._

_“No, of course not!” Stefan offered. “Klaus doesn’t give me free drinks!”_

_Gabe flipped the Salvatore off with a smile, shooing him away as more customers took up residence in the seats. Walking towards his known haunt of the booth at the far end of the bar, Stefan graciously placed the glassfuls of gin onto the table, which was occupied by two blondes and what seemed to be a couple. Stefan planted himself near Klaus, with who seemed to be the woman’s husband in between them._

_“So, who do we have here?” Stefan asked in a light tone, masking his dark intentions._

_“Why don’t you introduce our new friends to Stefan, sister?” Klaus drawled out charismatically, seemingly enchanting both husband and wife._

_Rebekah grinned, giving saucy eyes to both of the men who were not her brother, before turning to lean on the woman next to her. “Stefan, may I introduce you to Vernon and Geraldine Baker. Apparently, not only have they come to have a nice drink, but they’re also here to have some… adventures.”_

_Stefan grinned wildly at Geraldine, then to Vernon, who both seemed to give such hungry stares to the three vampires. After glancing at the Mikaelson siblings once more, he picked up his drink, as they emulated, and raised his glass._

_Turning to Vernon, Stefan used his non-drink-holding hand to caress the man’s thighs, eliciting a moan from him; with Klaus and Rebekah mimicking the action to Vernon’s other thigh and under Geraldine’s dress, respectively._

_“To our new friends!” Stefan cheered, clinking his glass with the other two as they feasted on the couple, the two of whom merely moaned in pleasure as their life drained away._

_The night went on as it always had. After their initial feast, the three would make use of the compelled servants to throw away their trash, leaving them more time prowl the dance floor. Any unsuspecting victim that was ensnared by Rebekah’s charm was doomed to share poor Geraldine’s fate, while any man or woman that found themselves between Klaus and Stefan were drained before they would even notice they were dead._

_“How long has it been, mate?” Klaus asked as they retreated to a quieter corner of the speakeasy, drinks in hand while the music played. Rebekah was off being the black widow she grew to become as the centuries went by, and so the two men found themselves nestled away from prying eyes and ears._

_“Year and a half, give or take. Probably even longer, but I can’t think when I’ve had too much to eat,” Stefan said, grinning at Klaus’ smirk._

_“You remind me so much of my brother, it’s unreal. Oh, we would’ve torn the eastern seaboard asunder,” Klaus reminisced, taking a sip of his drink._

_“So where is this guy? Can’t imagine he’d want to avoid the life of the party himself?” Stefan jokingly said, missing the slight hardening of Klaus’ eyes._

_“He’s… indisposed at the moment. Maybe someday you’ll meet him…” Klaus said before placing his hand on the back of Stefan’s neck, bringing his forehead close to his._

_“But having you here feels like having a brother, Stefan…” Klaus said under the whine of the saxophone playing._

_“I- being around you feels the same for me…” Stefan whispered back. And, in the carnage that followed on that day, as the Mikaelson’s ran from an even bigger monster than themselves, Stefan stood among the ashes. A weight, a bond, a… brotherhood, taken from him without his knowledge. A comradery with those who saw the world as he did, just erased… no… hidden. All that was left as a whisper, a promise made by a ghost._

_“I’ll come back for you, Stefan… and when I do, I’ll give you the world.”_

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Perhaps I should’ve come to escort you from the Salvatore estate myself, seeing as neither of the brothers has a sense of time,” Klaus said to Harry as the wizard loaded up a bag of extra clothing and water. The two had hastily prepared for their trip, lading up the car with two bags of belongings, and a cooler that held Merlin knows what inside.

“Sorry, I was… distracted,” Harry mumbled with a blush, though it did little to hide the smirk on his face. Klaus gave the raven a neutral look, although, by the whites of his knuckles, Harry was sure that he had strong feelings about what he had implied.

“Let’s get on, shall we?” Klaus said rather quickly, as shown by how fast they had left the mansion.

“I hope you aren’t planning on kidnapping me, Klaus. Once was… fun, but twice is just getting repetitive,” Harry tried to joke to fill the silence. Thankfully, it seemed to tickle Klaus’ fancy as he let out a chuckle.

“I mean, you did agree to this, Harry. Therefore, it won’t count as kidnapping,” Klaus threw back.

“Blackmail and coercion is not agreement, Klaus,” Harry jokingly whined, turning the radio dial to some pop music. Klaus rolled his eyes but resisted changing the dial, instead, enjoying the way Harry seemed to silently groove to the track playing.

Time passed rather slowly for the pair as they drove further into the countryside, Harry admiring the way the trees were starting to show early signs of reddening. As the sun began to travel across the sky, Klaus had taken the final turn, directing them towards the national preserve.

“Getting déjà vu yet?” Klaus asked as soon as he had parked the car, the engine cut off signaling their arrival. Harry gave the hybrid a cautious look, continuing it as they exited the car and made their way to the back. “Perhaps you could help me move these along?”

Harry rolled his eyes and pointed his now-out wand at the bags they brought, shrinking them down until they were pocket-sized.

“You continue to fascinate me, Harry,” Klaus said in earnest, taking the miniature bags and placing them in his pocket. Thankfully, unlike the last time they had visited a park, Harry had actually prepared his wardrobe. Dressed in hiking gear, Harry merely grimaced at the hike Klaus was seemingly going to make them take, rather than at being uncomfortable.

As the pair walked towards a cliff, Harry looked over the drop with a quirked eyebrow. “How are we going to-”

Klaus merely laughed as he offered a hand. “Right… hybrid… forgot for a second…”

Taking the hybrid’s hand, Harry was swept into the bridal position. Holding on tight, Klaus made a single leap before they were plummeting down. But, unlike how Klaus expected him to react, Harry took the fall with ease and grace. When they landed, Harry may or may not have lingered a second longer than appropriate before jerking his legs out to be let go.

Klaus obliged, setting him down gently as he began to lead the way again. “You know, I imagined you screaming like all the rest of the people I’ve leaped off a cliff with.”

“You do this with other people?” Harry asked with a teasing look.

“None that survived the fall,” Klaus simply answered, with Harry giving Klaus a rather strained look in return.

The two walked more until Klaus stopped both of them. Squinting his eyes, Harry could make out distinct white figures in the distance, far too artificial to be stone structures. If he guessed, he would say they seemed to be muggle mobile homes.

“Why are we-” Harry started to say, before Klaus sped ahead of the wizard, leaving him behind without notice. Harry huffed and groaned before walking the human way towards the campsite.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Klaus barreled his way into the campsite, finding its center as the people around him stood in awe and fear. While their skin and features all varied, he knew better than anyone that these people were a family… a _pack._

“You lot were rather hidden, weren’t you?” Klaus simply stated with all eyes on him. No one seemed to want to approach him. That is until a strong and imposing man with dark skin walked towards the hybrid.

“What the hell do you want with us, _hybrid?”_ The man growled out, his eyes flaring as many of the weaker members of the pack backed away from the two.

“Glad to see that my reputation precedes me,” Klaus smoothly let out, taking one step forward before the man seemed to growl at him.

“More like your _actions_ precede you. We heard what happened to the Appalachian pack; all found mutilated and deformed. So, I don’t know what sick fucking reason you have to be here, but we want _nothing_ to do with it. Get out!” The pack leader yelled out, his teeth barred and sharpened.

Klaus chuckled at the man’s posturing; even if it was the full moon, a normal wolf like him still stood no chance against him. “Really? You’d throw me out when you haven’t even heard what I have to offer?”

“Like we’d give a rat’s ass about-”

“What the hell was that, leaving me to walk over here-”

“I can prevent you all from turning… I can free you from the moon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Klaus only stayed in Chicago for a few months, but I wanted to change that to a year and change for... later purposes. Also, the first glimpse at everyone's emotional disaster of a fav, Rebekah! Even though it's a flashback, she'll be in the present... eventually... hehe...
> 
> And yay! More Klaus and Harry! I know that this story has been heavy on the StefanxHarry and a bit light on the KlausxHarry, but just know that the next chapter is ALL Klaus and Harry! And it's an emotional rollercoaster if I do say so myself!
> 
> Anyway, that's it for me! Have a great day and stay safe!


	25. Hogwarts Turns Me Into A Sap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A successful experiment transitions into a trip down memory lane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! At least, it's still Halloween for me. This was supposed to come out yesterday, but I felt since most people won't be going out, a good, warm, and cozy chapter might help bring some enjoyment to #halloweenathome.
> 
> This chapter was inspired by a binge-watch of the Haunting of Bly Manor, which is why this chapter is so melodramatic and romance-y lol XD hope you guys love sappy shit because there's enough sap to fill a tree here!
> 
> Also, I will say, I have absolutely no sense of time and location. I gave a vague duration and distance for where Harry and Klaus were going, so please just suspend your disbelief for story purposes LOL
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and don't be afraid to leave a comment, just be nice!

_“The twenties? Well… if I’m honest, I don’t remember much. It was a… um… hard decade for me… I’ve never… I usually only ever have really bad lapses for maybe a few years, but… that time, that decade… I did…” Stefan began to say before the last of his speech was muddled by cracks in his voice. Harry gave him a sincere look of sympathy, grasping the vampire in his arms as Stefan sighed._

_“I’m sorry for bringing it up… I just…” Harry tried to say, his words caught in his throat. It had been a few days since Klaus had mentioned Stefan’s time in the twenties, and curiosity had gotten the better of him. Of course, he should have been smarter about it, knowing Klaus had a rather large stake in causing any sort of rift between him and Stefan, but… there was something about the way he talked about it._

_It wasn’t that Klaus seemed to have the sole key to a dirty secret of Stefan’s, seeing as Harry knew firsthand the horror Stefan brought about; but he seemed to have some sort of vested interest in it. As if he himself was curious about Stefan during this time._

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“That vampire side of you must’ve made you fucking empty-headed if you think you’d be able to do that, even with that… witch over there,” The pack leader growled out, sneering at the two. Harry, after hearing the same mess that Klaus had been spouting weeks ago, glared at the hybrid for two reasons. One, Klaus had once again drawn him into a life or death situation with werewolves. Two, it was even worse, as he’d brought him on the night of the _full moon._

Harry, not minding the stare down from the pack leader, stomped towards Klaus, grabbing the man’s arm, and jerking his body to face him. “Are you insane? Did you bring me to a werewolf pack during the full moon? And you’re off spouting that hybrid insanity again? The last time you were going off with that mess, you nearly got me, and Stefan, killed!”

Klaus took both in stride, sparing a glance to the pack leader, before aiming his gaze at Harry. “Trust me, Harry. This time will be… different. Now,” Klaus said as he took the shrunken cooler from out of his pocket, “perhaps you can make these the right size?”

Harry gave the man an uncertain look, eyeing the way the sun began to dip towards the horizon. Taking out his wand, the wizard tapped the cooler and resized it, with Klaus holding it steady with his strength. Placing it on the ground, the hybrid opened it up, showing bags full of blood from what looked to be a hospital.

“You’re really telling me that you won’t even consider it? The chance to finally be free of the chains of the moon?” Klaus taunted, gesturing towards the cooler full of blood. “Come on, mate. As hard-headed as us wolves can-”

“Don’t ever compare yourself to us, you fucking _freak!”_ The pack leader yelled out, causing all the onlookers, including Harry, to flinch back. While some staggered back due to the sheer force of their leader’s voice, Harry was reminded of a rather unpleasant moniker he was given throughout his life.

Klaus did not rise to the bait; instead, biting the flat of his wrist, holding out the hand for anyone else to take it. The silence that followed was rather large, and many looked towards their pack leader, rather than the hybrid. In that silence, many thoughts of the honeyed words Klaus offered, and more so, what would come with them.

After a few more minutes, as the sun began to dip even lower, and the first vestiges of the moon were birthed from the curvature of the Earth, one wolf stepped forward, instantly earning stares and glares alike. The wolf timidly looked at the group he was surrounded by, and then determinedly at their pack leader, before making their way to Klaus.

“Good, good! At least someone here is smart. Now, come here and take some of my blood,” Klaus said, stretching out his hand to them. Hesitantly, the wolf narrowed her eyes, before nodding and moving their mouth close to the open wound.

“Baz! What the hell!” The pack leader growled out, barring his sharpening teeth. Unfortunately, it seemed futile, as Baz’s engagement seemed to spur many of the wolves to Klaus, who happily obliged with already prepared bottles of his blood in the cooler. Once Baz had unclenched her teeth from Klaus, the hybrid held her head in his hands, before quickly snapping it. Many of the wolves around them flinched back but were too slow, resulting in a pile of transitioning wolf bodies.

As the sun sputtered out its last rays of sunshine, Harry scooted back as the wolves who had chosen not to participate began to shift. “Klaus… What are you going to do about them?”

Klaus looked down at the pile of bodies, then at the shifting wolves in front of them. “Cage them in, if you could, Harry?”

Harry frowned, but quickly realized there wouldn’t be any time for a biting remark when he was minutes away from _actually_ getting bitten _._ “Protego Maxima. Fianto Duri.”

After Harry’s incantation, a white-blue sheen began to surround the wolves, corralling them into a closed-off space. As the last of the still-living wolves shifted, the pack of _actual_ wolves growled at the two of them. The wolf, who seemed to be the pack leader, inspected the dome, sniffing and growling at it, just before attempting to barrel through it.

Thankfully for Harry, the spell was more than enough to keep them inside, as it repelled the wolf back, almost towards the other side of the dome. The wolves then cowered, growling softly before going towards their leader and licking his wounds. Minutes passed by, once again, until Baz and the first few wolves that ingested Klaus’ blood began to stir. Harry took another step back, remembering what had happened the last time he was dealing with these new hybrids.

“That’s it, now… just drink these, and you’ll feel so much better,” Klaus cooed, gently pouring blood from blood bags into some of the waiting mouths, while others seemed to pull them from the cooler on instinct and devour them. As the bloodied faces calmed from their gouging, Harry watched and waited for the signs; but, after a few minutes, there seemed to be no black blood whatsoever. In fact, the newly minted hybrids seemed to be glowing with health.

“Holy shit…” Harry mumbled with his jaw dropped. Klaus had done it… he had made his hybrids.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

They were running around in the moonlight, their skin glistening as if they were woodland spirits. Their eyes glowing in the darkness of the shadowy night; not as uncontrollable beasts, but as apex predators.

“Are you just going to let them roam around? What if they… you know,” Harry mumbled as he sat on a log by a bonfire, watching over the magical cage he had trapped the wolves in. The wizard was cautious because even though he had Klaus by his side, he was still worried.

The two had cozied up against each other, for Harry’s sake more than Klaus, with Klaus having one ear to the forest to keep track of his hybrids. “Trust me, it’s better if they get to stretch their legs, especially since this is the first time in a _long_ time some of them have seen the full moon.”

Harry hummed in response, turning his head up to the night sky, watching as the clouds overtook the stars, leaving the moon as the single beacon of light. “Why? Why are you so hellbent on turning all these wolves into hybrids?”

Klaus turned to Harry, brushing their hands together. “Because no one should have to suffer the pain of shifting… of being a wild beast with no mind of their own, vulnerable to even the simplest of hunters. They deserve to have _power,_ and like the kind man I am, I’m here to oblige.”

Harry rolled his eyes, shivering under the ever cooling night, trying to gain warmth from both the fire and, against his better judgment, Klaus. “So as long as you hold all the power, you’re nice and generous? I mean… if you really cared about werewolves, then you would’ve force-fed the rest of the pack.”

Klaus said nothing in return, as Harry had already said what was entirely apparent; instead, he continued to stare at Harry. “You’ve known one, haven’t you? A wolf.”

Harry closed his eyes, his thoughts returning to a much different time. “I did… he was one of the… greatest men I had ever known, with the largest heart and the biggest chip on his shoulder because of his… lycanthropy. He didn’t have the pleasure of having you come around and dangle the cure to his monthly demon in front of his face. Though, he probably wouldn’t have on the account of being so stubborn.”

Klaus allowed Harry to reminisce on his own, not commenting on the use of ‘ _was’_ in his statement. The hybrid took every inch of Harry as he could under the moonlight, committing every groove and imperfection to memory. His eyes roamed until they landed upon the wizard’s hands. Anger began to bloom in his mind as he read the distinct scars.

_I must not tell lies._

“You know, we’ve known each other for almost a year now, I think we’ve moved passed the one-sided conversations.”

_I must not break rules._

“Although, perhaps it’s best if we just sat in silence since we might end up saying something that’ll upset the both of us-”

“Where did they come from?” Klaus said with precise measure, cutting off Harry’s banter. The wizard gave an unsure look at first before he saw where Klaus’ gaze was fixated on. The boy sighed, bringing his hands into his lap.

“It took you long enough to notice them. I was surprised at how a month in, and you weren’t trying to figure out if I was truly demented, self-loathing, or just plain mad,” Harry said softly, rubbing along the indents of his skin. The scars themselves were faded, although the messages they held were still clear to the naked eye.

“I must not tell lies. I must not break rules… she was a vindictive _bitch,_ that one. But she got her comeuppance, so… that probably strikes out your next few weeks of hunting down the woman that did this to me,” Harry darkly joked.

When Klaus did not budge, Harry turned to face him, holding out his hands so that his palms were facing down. “These are practically nothing compared to the mental scars I have. With these… they’d fade one day, and then I wouldn’t have to be reminded of them… but I’ll never forget what they represent… what I _lost…_ ”

Klaus gave the wizard a stern look, taking both his hands in his and bringing them up to his lips, where he gently laid a kiss on both. Harry gave a sad smile, letting Klaus warm them in his fiery grip. The hybrid drew closer until he was a breath away from Harry.

“I could take it all away… all the pain you carry… if you asked me to…” Klaus whispered, and if Harry were a lesser man, he’d have said yes. But he was who he was, scars visible or not and all.

“Then I wouldn’t be me,” Harry said back, intertwining his hands with Klaus’.

The two sat still, even as the clouds began to darken and become heavy, and even stiller as the rain began to fall. But what Harry felt… what he saw, wasn’t the downpour of the forest. No, what he saw was a familiar lakeside.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“You know… just because we’re here doesn’t mean we won’t be getting soaked,” Harry said as he looked over the rose-color hazed memory of Hogwarts during the spring. Klaus chuckled, pulling Harry into his hold.

“You’re the one that thought of this place… you wanted somewhere warm and peaceful, and here we are,” Klaus answered back, marveling at the uncharacteristically dark waters of the lake. The castle itself was par for the course, to Klaus at least, but the sentiment it held for Harry gave it a dazzling sheen.

“Maybe when you’re done being an arse and Stefan finally let’s go of Mystic Falls, we can visit… or maybe another place if Britain gets too… stuffy,” Harry absently said. “Merlin… why the hell am I planning a vacation with _you_ of all people…”

“Because despite your aversion to my thrall, my charm and chivalry have endeared me to you,” Klaus offered humorously, though met with a scoff.

“No, no… I think it might have something to do with you brainwashing me. Maybe Damon was right, and you were spiriting me away to turn me into a Stepford husband,” Harry lightly joked back.

Klaus smiled at the warmth that had suddenly radiated from Harry, his laughter echoing deep within him. “Perhaps I shall take advantage of that if it means getting to hear you sound so sweet.”

Harry quirked a small smile, readjusting his position so he was leaning on Klaus. “Hogwarts turns me into a sap. The train ride from King’s Cross Station to Hogsmeade, the castle, the food… they’re very fond memories… even at its worst, I still can’t think ill of it.”

“Show me, then…” Klaus mumbled into Harry’s crown of disheveled ink-black hair, caressing Harry as the scene began to shift around them. Rather than a scenic lakefront, the two were now standing in the middle of a mess hall, absolutely teeming with children. Klaus’ eyes followed Harry’s as they landed upon a small boy with dark hair and broken glasses. The boy was animatedly chatting with the redhead next to him while gorging himself on pudding and pastry.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? The room, the atmosphere, the smiles… it was like the world had stopped in the minutes we were in here… like if I went out those doors, it would all fade away…” Harry said with a soft warmth. Harry sighed, before offering his hand to Klaus, who almost greedily took it.

The wizard led them out the giant doors of the Great Hall, and as if by magic, the two were transported to an entirely different part of the castle: the library. Harry and Klaus watched as the students quietly read along to their books, some with panic in their eyes, while others looked close to falling asleep then and there.

The wizard led the man into a hidden corner of the library, obscured by shelves and shelves of literature. Behind one of the shelves seemed to stand a boy, and in front, nestled in a cocoon of parchment and books, sat another. A familiar boy with raven-black hair and wired glasses. Harry looked at the scene fondly, his smile mimicking the one plastered on the face of the younger boy.

“A bookworm, were you?” Klaus asked softly.

“Merlin no, I was probably the farthest thing from a bookworm. I just… I usually pissed off the person that would help me with my homework, so I’d have to sometimes do it on my own,” Harry said earnestly, already guiding Klaus towards the library’s exit. With one last glance at the scene and a shift in gaze to the boy behind the bookshelf, something that didn’t go unnoticed to Klaus, the two were off to another memory.

But it seemed the next destination they’d landed in was something that Harry narrowed his eyes at. They were in a strangely familiar, though unremarkable, hallway. Harry chewed his lips, trying to remember why he’d held this place so close to him. Klaus, on the other hand, swerved his head towards the faint light emanating from behind the door next to the statue.

Pressing forward, Klaus began to open the door ajar, listening in on the soft waves of water and hearty laughter that filled the air, along with the faint smell of bubble soap. It was then that Harry realized the memory they were viewing, and before he could stop him, Klaus had entered the bathroom.

Adorned along the walls were marble fixtures, and on the ceiling hung a particularly finely crafted chandelier. But what was apparent was the bubble-filled pool in the middle, and even more apparent the two people at its center. Harry stilled as he watched the scene unfold, while Klaus looked on in fascination. The smaller of the two timidly scooted away as the taller one had him pressed against the edge of the pool. The two, who had once been laughing enough to echo, were silent now, staring at each other.

As one head dipped, and bodies were intertwined, Klaus looked away, instead, watching the tears that were threatening to spill from Harry’s eyes.

“Harry, _love_ ,” Klaus tried to offer before the scene began to rupture around them. White marble was beginning to give way to dead grass, walls once ordained with spectacle began to dissolve into aged statues of angels, and where once bubbles filled the air, now sat a mist.

Klaus tried to gather Harry in his arms, but before he could even touch him, a pained wail rang through the air. Klaus looked around, watching as the scene was instantly jerked away, leaving him sat upon a familiar log, soaked to his bones with Harry steps away, breathing rather labored. Klaus stepped through the muddied ground, trying to take hold of the wizard, who shirked off his advances.

“Harry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- I didn’t mean to upset you… I just wanted to… comfort you,” Klaus said, wrangling Harry into a hug. Harry lifted his head to give a forlorn look to the hybrid, his tears indistinguishable to the rain above them. The pair stood there, embracing until Harry began to speak.

“I loved him… I loved so many people… and they were all taken away from me… because I couldn’t control anything… because so many things I did never mattered in the end… and… I’m scared to lose you… Stefan… I’m so scared you’ll be hurt, and I won’t be able to do a thing about it,” Harry whimpered.

“Nothing’s going to hurt me, I promise you,” Klaus said to soothe Harry’s fragile state, “this is why I’m doing what I’m doing… to protect myself, to protect all of _us._ I’m going to keep you safe, and I’m going to keep Stefan safe… my brother, my siblings… I’ll protect you all…”

“I won’t let anything hurt you…” Klaus continued to echo, the two caught in a twisted slow dance of reassurance and affection, bathed in the rain.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The two had foregone shelter for the rest of the night, wallowing in their shared haze, watching as the sun began to shine, and the pack beginning to coalesce once more. Harry had resigned the barrier once the new hybrids were all returned, silently partitioned from the scene as he began to make his way to the car, leaving Klaus to deal with the fallout.

The pack leader, and the few who had remained pure wolves, stared in disgust at the members of the pack who had chosen Klaus. “You all make me _sick._ Choosing an outsider and not your own kin! You fucking traitors! Don’t ever think that-”

“Shut up!” A once timid voice yelled out, now full of vigor and confidence. Baz, the first to step forward, had glared at the pack leader. “It’s been a _decade_ since I last saw the full moon! A decade since I started breaking every bone within my body! How fucking _selfish_ can you be to shame me for wanting this? From wanting something that’ll stop the pain! That would stop the fear!”

As more and more of Baz’s speech was let out, many who had chosen to become hybrids had nodded their heads, Baz’s message ringing true to all of them.

“If leaving the pack means… if leaving _you_ means that I can enjoy the rest of my life, then so be it,” Baz said with finality. The pack leader who had, by the end of Baz’s speech, looked as if he had been punched in the gut, bit his lip, before turning his back towards the group, with the others near him following.

“Fine then… have it your way…” Baz mumbled through tears.

Klaus watched the exchange with the barest of interest, turning towards Baz once the group of wolves had left the clearing. “Unfortunately, I don’t have much room to transport you all right now. But… I’d like you all to make your way to Mystic Falls, Virginia. I’m sure you can find a way with your new… abilities… Oh, and do try to keep a low profile, wouldn’t want any funny business following you all the way to your new… home.”

The group nodded their heads, all seemingly scattering about, following Klaus’ command. Said hybrid smirked widely, before making his way towards the car, where Harry had seemed to already be.

“Ready to depart?” Klaus asked softly, only receiving a nod from Harry.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

The two began their journey back and despite a plea to stop and freshen up, which was met with a wave of a wand, the two sat in silence. Hours passed, and as the sun had risen, it once again started to fall by the time they were back.

After even more time, the pair were finally back at the driveway of the mansion. Exiting the car and bringing their bags back out, the two silently walked towards the door, until Klaus had stopped midway. Harry offered a slightly confused look before Klaus gently held his head between his hands.

“Klaus, what are you-”

“I’m sorry I took this from you…” Klaus whispered, before directing Harry to stare into his eyes. “You will no longer have to listen to what I have to say… you are free from my compulsion…”

Harry’s eyes widened as he felt the crack within his mental walls begin to mend until it was completely sutured shut. “Klaus-”

Without allowing the wizard to get another word in, Klaus crushed their lips together, searing the taste once more into his mind. Only this time, Harry did not allow it to be stopped, instead, allowing himself to indulge the moment. But, as soon as it began, it had ended, as Klaus was nowhere to be seen when Harry had reopened his eyes.

Harry was dumbfounded, touching his lips, and staring at the empty spot where Klaus once stood. Allowing a single tear to drop, Harry gave a deep breath before Apparating up to his room, wanting to avoid any more contact with _either_ Mikaelson.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

In another part of the mansion, after having a rather dramatic exit, Klaus stared at the single painting that sat in the center of the gallery room. A single raven perched on a branch of a tree in its prime.

“You’ve gotten soft, brother. Back then you would’ve thrown out the toys you grew bored with,” Kol offered from behind him, drink in hand.

Klaus responded with a chuckle, not turning around to face his brother. “Perhaps it’s a good thing, that he’s softened me, so to speak. Couldn’t imagine he’d like me if I were as cruel as you remember me.”

“No, no he wouldn’t,” Kol offered in response, taking a swig of his drink before offering more. “Though, I can’t see as to why you can’t just make him into a perfect little toy if you’re so incensed in keeping him. I’m sure you could just add in all the bits of him that you like.”

_“Then I wouldn’t be me.”_

“And here I thought you liked him. Has he not… _softened_ you up as well?” Klaus asked, not responding to Kol’s devious machinations.

“When I think of Harry, I get rather… _hard,_ not soft. I’d gladly make him scream my name till it becomes inscribed as a hymn. And to be frank, I find him fascinating, sure. Someone like him is a once in a century find. Yet…” Kol then paused, before speaking again. “I can’t fathom why he’s affected you and the dog so much…”

Klaus scoffed, before finally turning towards his brother. “Perhaps you’ll see when I’ve got everything in place… and perhaps, one day, you’ll even understand why Stefan and I are so enamored with him and feel the same.”

Kol gave his brother a complex look, before downing the rest of the drink. “Then we’ll just have to keep him around to wait and see.”

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

_“Awaken, my dear, my love, my warrior. Awaken from your cursed sleep… I finally have enough power to free you… and soon, I’ll have enough power to be with you… so, go on, awaken! Awaken and shed the blood of our cursed children. Cleanse the Earthly plane of these heathens! But save your bastard for last and allow him to watch as you squeeze the life out of the tainted one! Go, go on and awaken!”_

The words echoed around in the man’s mind, bouncing from wall to wall until the cacophony of voices forced his being to _awaken._ His eyes, which for a decade had been shut, were now open. His limbs, which for a decade were desiccated and bound, were now free. His purpose, which for a decade was stolen and out of his reach, was now in his palm. The wood caressed his calloused skin, a familiar burn scratching at the surface.

He was awake now.

_Mikael_ was awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun.... DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
> 
> Did you see that coming? The plot, she MOVING now!
> 
> Hope y'all liked this, since you got some plot AND HarryxKlaus!! All in one chapter!
> 
> Anyway, the next chapter sees things ramp up even more! So stay tuned!
> 
> As always, have a good and safe day/night, and I hope you're all doing well!


	26. Not Like I Have A Job To Go To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A town celebration brings together friends and foes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi.... sincerest apologies for being MIA this past November. Normally I give myself a two-week update window to write and edit; but, unfortunately, that period ended right in the middle of my finals week. I gave myself a buffer week after, so here's the next chapter, FINALLY!
> 
> Ok, apologies over, now, enjoy the chapter!
> 
> And leave a comment if you want, just be nice!

“You’re really going to leave me all alone in this huge mansion by myself? What if I get lonely? What if I get _hungry?_ What if I get hor-” Kol pantomimed to Harry before ending up on the receiving end of a stinging hex. The vampire feigned pain but failed in trying to stop Harry from moving his bags through the front door and into the waiting, and slightly smug, arms of his boyfriend.

“Not my fault that Klaus decided to leave both of us here to watch the house. Besides, I’m sure you’re more than fit enough to take care of things here!” Harry said as he waved back at the Original, who sped in front of the wizard. Harry only flinched slightly, stepping back to be slightly out of the vampire’s reach. At that moment, Stefan had sped to his side, only to receive a less than impressed stare from Kol.

“Well- what if I end up bringing some school chums home to eat? Huh? You wouldn’t know if I had any victims until it was too late!” Kol once again tried to plead, only to receive a soft smile from Harry. The wizard, though not showing it through his expression, had a slight bit of pity for Kol. The vampire was obviously trying to not be alone, and in some ways, Harry could understand.

Stepping forward, Harry gave an unprovoked hug, followed by a kiss to the cheek. Though Kol’s face did not redden, he did give the raven a slightly confused stare. Only when he shifted his head above Harry’s shoulders and towards Stefan’s rather constipated look, most likely caused by Harry being draped in Kol’s embrace, did the immortal smirk.

“I trust you’ll behave yourself. Besides, if it gets too quiet, you could always just come over to Stefan and Damon’s-”

“All right, let’s go, Harry!” Stefan suddenly interrupted before Harry could finish his invitation. With a stern but soft look to the younger vampire, Stefan made his way to the car. Rolling his eyes, Harry turned back to Kol, who gave him a rather pathetic attempt at puppy dog eyes.

“It’ll just be for the weekend, and then the arse is coming back,” Harry tried to comfort the vampire, who responded by putting on a faux-smug face.

“Well, that’ll be a promise, right Harry?” Kol said, before squeezing the wizard’s frame one last time, watching still as he drove away in the dog- _Stefan’s_ car.

_“How far have my children fallen that they’ve resorted to consorting with a whore!”_ A voice whispered in the wind, alerting Kol to some presence near him. The Original narrowed his eyes, swirling around and using his enhanced hearing to pick up on the voice once more. But it was for naught as there wasn’t anyone near him.

“That… that sounded like…”

_My mother._

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

A day had passed since his temporary vacation from the Mikaelson compound began, and Harry was very much appreciating the fact that he didn’t have to deal with the often trite machinations of two centuries-old beings. It was nice to be around brothers that were younger; granted, they too had their own demons to exercise. But the fact that he could sleep with one of them was an added relaxant.

“You doing anything tonight?” Stefan facetiously asked, smirking as Harry rolled his eyes.

“No, I’m not doing anything Stefan. Not like I have a job to go to,” Harry snarked, folding his laundry on Stefan’s bed as the vampire sat in his chair, enjoying both the novel in his hand and the ass that was perfectly placed in front of him. 

“Then you’re coming with me to Illumination Night!” Stefan announced, earning an eyebrow raise from Harry, who turned to face his boyfriend.

“What the bloody hell is Illumination Night?” Harry asked, crossing his arms.

“One night, every year, Mystic Falls celebrates its founding by turning off all the lights and lighting a couple of lanterns, all in the name of our founders and keeping their spirits alive,” Stefan dead-panned to Harry who giggled.

“Is that it?” Harry simply asked.

“Well, it is for normal people. For founders? It used to be where they’d sneak into a claustrophobic as hell room and plan the end of the vampire species,” Stefan explained, much to Harry’s confusion.

“Founders as in founding family legacies,” Stefan explained when he caught onto Harry’s confusion, “they’d meet to discuss how to deal with vampires and other things that go bump in the night. It’s honestly harmless, especially nowadays. Back then they had a witch backing them up, but when they started turning on them… well, now they’re sort of in 'last place' when it comes to who’s winning the town.”

“Great, small-town supernatural politics. Fun stuff… why do we want to go then?” Harry asked with mirth.

“Because they’re serving cheap beer for free and you get to meet the people of this dingy town,” Stefan answered, setting down his book to effortlessly push Harry onto the bed and straddle him.

“And I need to meet the townsfolk because?” Harry softly answered as Stefan’s face inched closer to his until they were a hair’s length away from kissing.

“Because you need to be around people that aren’t dead,” Stefan softly joked, his arms moving slowly up the length of Harry’s arms, finally settling on intertwining their hands.

“Rude-” Harry tried to say, though Stefan’s lips offered a perfect distraction to Harry’s comeback.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

“Quite the crowd collected here. It seems very… warm here,” Harry murmured as Stefan guided him through the swaths of townspeople, all of whom were taking part in organizing the paper lanterns for lighting later in the evening. Harry smiled warmly as he was offered a drink from an inconspicuous bartender from the Grill, taking a quick sip as Stefan pulled him along, their hands intertwined together.

“Oh, hey Stefan!” A voice could be heard through the crowd, belonging to a very distinct head of auburn hair. Stefan turned to his side and offered a small smile at Jenna, with Harry doing the same, only to slightly cringe at her gaze. The last time he had seen her, Klaus had just recently turned her after he had kidnapped Elena.

“Jenna! How are… you?” Stefan lamely asked, his hands becoming somewhat clammy, something that Harry didn’t even know that vampires could experience. Who knew they were just as prone to bouts of awkwardness as the living?

“Don’t worry Stefan, she told me. I know you and Elena are…” Jenna began, her eyes dipping to where Stefan and Harry were linked, “not together. Thankfully, I’m not bound by teenage blood pacts to ignore you to death… well, a second death, so you’re free to loosen up around me, Stefan.”

Stefan’s shoulders went slack, a breath he didn’t know he was holding let out. “Um… thanks, Jenna. And… god, this is awkward, um… this is, uhh, Harry!”

Harry gave a comforting squeeze to Stefan’s hand as the wizard moved to gesture towards the red-headed vampire. Despite his posture of peace, the blonde man behind the vampire seemed to tense up at seeing him. “Nice to meet you… again.”

“Right… I- I never got to, um… thank you, for what you did that day. I know that we were sort of all dealing with some shit, so… I’ve been told without you, I and my niece would be dead, so… we owe you, a lot,” Jenna said with an earnest smile, which was awkwardly reciprocated by Harry.

“No problem, in fact, I’d say it was less chivalry and more to do with my compulsory habit of inserting myself into situations to try and… save people,” Harry breathed out, this time receiving a squeeze from Stefan. Jenna gave them an unreadable stare, before giving a knowing smirk. After saying some parting words, both pairs went off in different directions, with Stefan bringing Harry to a quaint spot under a rather hardy tree. His drink had long been abandoned, which left both hands free to cuddle into Stefan’s chest.

“They’re staring as if they’ve never seen two men cuddle under the stars before,” Harry jokingly muttered, staring out into the crowd of men, women, and children who were all trying to hide their glances.

“At least not in the open,” Stefan muttered back, planting a soft kiss onto Harry’s shoulders. “Mystic Falls is a small town in Virginia where everyone knows each other. They’re more likely to be staring because, last they saw me, I was with Elena.”

“Well, maybe we should ditch the small-town drama and have some fun,” Harry said to the vampire. Stefan sighed, giving Harry a strained smile before sitting up, bringing Harry along with him.

“If it were any other time… but with Klaus and his brothers, and Damon being Damon, Elena...” Stefan said, listing off as many problems as he could. Harry gave him a curious look before stopping the vampire mid-sentence with a kiss.

“I get it, it’s your home, and you have a lot of problems to deal with,” Harry whispered. “It was just a thought... “

Stefan smiled, silently thanking Harry for understanding his plight. He knew he was being irrational, that all the problems he listed were at best tangentially related to him. Damon was a big boy, and he could handle himself; Klaus and Kol… well, there wasn’t much he could do to the immortal brothers. And Elena… the farther he was from her, the better off she was.

“I think we need more alcohol; I can hear the cogs in your brain running Stefan,” Harry joked, standing up from their spot on the grass.

“You need me to come with?” Stefan responded.

“No, I have two hands and I can carry two red cups,” Harry simply answered, before dissolving into the crowd.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Stefan groaned, sitting up to lean on the tree they were stationed under. He scouted the crowd, hoping to _not_ spot his ex, and especially not wanting to see his ex with his brother.

“You look lonely, dog. Did Harry finally realize you weren’t worth the time or breath?” A snarky accented voice said behind Stefan. The vampire felt the need to groan once more, but he’d start to feel like a broken record at that point.

“What are you doing here, Kol? Don’t you have cheerleaders to seduce?” Stefan audibly deflated, his enjoyment of the evening quickly diminishing.

“I would be offended if it weren’t for the fact that my mere presence is causing you distress. I’ll take as many victories as I can while my dear brother isn’t here to ruin the fun,” Kol admitted as he leaned against the tree. Stefan fought the urge to smash the immortal’s head into the oak but felt that nature had already suffered enough from his existence.

After a moment of awkward silence, Kol sighed rather obnoxiously, giving the Salvatore a pastiche of Klaus’ admittedly more charismatic attention-seeking.

“C’mon Stefan, I know you’re dying to ask me! Just say the words, and I can tell you all about Klaus and Harry’s trip!” Kol tried to bait, and while it did pique Stefan’s curiosity, the vampire steeled his resolve in not biting.

“He’s already explained what happened; besides, why would I ask you when you could be lying?” Stefan responded. While it was true that Harry explained the events that took place in the preserve, he seemed to have been hiding small details. He trusted the wizard, but with Klaus, anything was possible.

“I’m appalled you think that ill of me! I’m much more forthcoming than my brothers!” Kol sarcastically said. Stefan rolled his eyes and counted the seconds until Harry would inevitably reappear.

**I Don’t Think There’s Much Left of Me**

Harry maneuvered as best he could through the crowd, and thankfully, with being as… height deficient as he was, it made weaving through the townsfolk of Mystic Falls all the easier. The wizard found his way to the beer keg, which had apparently shifted in staff, as now his wonderful blonde friend Matt was holding down the proverbial fort. Smiling as he walked towards the server-turned-alcohol dispenser, the raven-haired boy hoped Matt remembered him.

“Matt, hey!” Harry called out to the high school student. The blonde waved back, an innocent yet guarded smile falling upon his face. “How have you been? I guess they’ve still got you carrying around beer kegs?”

Matt softened and laughed along with Harry. “Uhh, yeah. Normally they give us off to enjoy Illumination Night with our families, but The Grill apparently decided to inexplicably sponsor and cater, so I had to come in. Do you need a drink?”

Harry nodded, watching as the blonde filled up the red plastic cups. “Make that two, I need one for my… boyfriend as well…”

It was at this that Matt gave a slight pause, seemingly giving Harry a poorly hidden discreet look. “Right… you and, uhh… Stefan Salvatore, right?”

Harry cocked his head to the side a bit, before giving the boy a strained smile. “Um, yes, Stefan. I guess word travels fast in this town, eh?

Matt chuckled, easing up while handing Harry his drinks. “Everyone’s known everyone since they were kids. Most people grow up and die here, so don’t sweat it when rumors spread like wildfire. Be thankful you’re the _‘mysterious British man-stealer’_ and not a _‘psychotic drug addict’_ like my… sister was.”

Harry didn’t respond to the melancholy tone or the downtrodden mood of Matt, simply offering him a comforting smile. “Well… thank you for the drinks, I appreciate-”

Just as Harry was about to turn, a body collided with his, unfortunately spilling the contents of the drinks onto the ground. Thankfully, only the drinks had suffered the fall, as Harry was caught from faceplanting by a rather strong grip. Correcting his position and nodding to the crowd that he was fine, Harry then looked towards his savior and drink-spiller. The man was tall and broad, with blonde locks that reminded him so much of a certain… immortal.

“I apologize for almost knocking you over, and for actually knocking over your drinks! I didn’t even see you there if I’m honest!” The man said with a distinct accent, his face marred in what looked like sincerity.

“Um, don’t mention it… happens all the time to me, unfortunately,” Harry said, deflated about his physicality and for losing his drinks.

“Here, why don’t I get you some more drinks to make it up to you!” The man said, hauling Harry over back towards the drink station. Harry allowed himself to be pulled, or at least that was what he was telling himself. He would _not_ admit he was rather powerless against the brute of a man.

Matt caught the pair coming towards him with a confused look on his face, strengthened by the rather disheveled state of Harry in the man’s grip. “Drink-man, if you could, please give this young man-”

The older man paused giving Harry a quizzical look, to which Harry surmised he wanted his name. “Harry.”

“Harry- if you could give Harry two more drinks. I ran into the poor boy earlier and spilled his beverages onto the ground!” The older man commanded as Matt followed. The older man turned back to Harry who was brushing off the wrinkles in his shirt.

“Mikael,” The man simply said, confounding Harry and the eavesdropping Matt.

“My name. It’s Mikael. It’s only fair I reciprocate your openness to me, seeing the inconvenience I’ve caused you,” _Mikael_ said with a smirk, which gave Harry eerie flashbacks to another smile he’d seen before.

“Well, Mikael… apology accepted. No harm was done, really!” Harry tried to say, placating the bizarre behavior of this man who was _clearly_ not a townsperson; or at least, it seemed that way from Matt’s reciprocated confused stare at Mikael. When Matt finally handed over the refilled cups, he gave Harry a cautious nod before turning to get another keg.

“Well, thank you, and it was nice to meet you,” Harry said with a gesture, his smile pinched as Mikael seemingly decided to stand there, motionless, with an unreadable expression. “I’ve got to get to my, uhh… friend over there, so… I hope you enjoy the night!”

As Harry attempted to lose the man, a harsh grip landed on his arm. “Excuse me, but… can you please let go?!” Harry tried to whisper harshly, but Mikael kept his grip stable; and, even going as far as to yank Harry into his space.

“What the fuck is your-”

“My wife sends her regards,” Mikael growled into his ear, stunning Harry who fruitlessly tried to escape. The man held Harry tight in his grasp, and despite Harry’s best efforts to escape, the man’s strength was too much to overcome. In the span of a second, Harry went from struggling to doubling over in pain, as an intense sharp burst punctured his side. Looking down, Harry realized that the man had stabbed him with what looked like a dagger, a very _familiar_ dagger.

“I- what-” Harry stuttered in pain, looking up to see that the man had disappeared. _Vampire,_ Harry thought to himself as blood began to seep through his shirt. He, for whatever reason, seemed thankful that the crowd had moved towards the lantern lighting ceremony, leaving a sparse field for him to suffer in peace. Stumbling with as much poise as his injury could allow him, Harry made his way towards the beer station, where Matt seemed to be toying with his phone. Harry remembered, from what Stefan had shared with him, that the blonde was in tune with the supernatural side of the town, so he had hoped he could go to him for help.

“Hey Harry, what’s- holy shit!” Matt exclaimed, his eyes bugging out as his gaze landed on the dagger in the wizard’s side. The quarterback launched himself over the table and draped himself over the Brit to cover him from the crowd, who were thankfully distracted.

“What happened? Who did this to you?” Matt shot off rapidly, and if the situation were less dire, he’d laugh at how adorable the blonde was.

“Stefan… get Stefan…” Harry sharply whispered to Matt, both to calm him down and to call out to his supernaturally sensitive lover. A gust of movement was all it took for Harry to turn around, hoping to see Stefan coming to his rescue. But what he saw made him flinch back; auburn hair, pale skin, veins strewed across a delicate face, and… a look of unquenchable hunger.

“I- I smelled something… I smelled… blood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNN... How horrible am I to return and dump ANOTHER cliffhanger? I'm a shitty author, I know T-T
> 
> Again, I'm so sorry for ghosting, hopefully, it won't happen again. 
> 
> Anyway, happy holidays everyone! Stay safe and happy reading for you all!

**Author's Note:**

> As always, be nice and comment if you want. Toodles! and till next time!


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